Naltrexone in the treatment of alcohol dependence - PubMed (original) (raw)

Clinical Trial

Naltrexone in the treatment of alcohol dependence

J R Volpicelli et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1992 Nov.

Abstract

Seventy male alcohol-dependent patients participated in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of naltrexone hydrochloride (50 mg/d) as an adjunct to treatment following alcohol detoxification. Subjects taking naltrexone reported significantly less alcohol craving and days in which any alcohol was consumed. During the 12-week study, only 23% of the naltrexone-treated subjects met the criteria for a relapse, whereas 54.3% of the placebo-treated subjects relapsed. The primary effect of naltrexone was seen in patients who drank any alcohol while attending outpatient treatment. Nineteen (95%) of the 20 placebo-treated patients relapsed after they sampled alcohol, while only eight (50%) of 16 naltrexone-treated patients exposed to alcohol met relapse criteria. Naltrexone was not associated with mood changes or other psychiatric symptoms. Significant side effects (nausea) occurred in two naltrexone-treated subjects, and one naltrexone-treated subject complained of increased pain from arthritis. These results suggest that naltrexone may be a safe and effective adjunct to treatment in alcohol-dependent subjects, particularly in preventing alcohol relapse.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

• Naltrexone and alcohol dependence: some methodological issues.
  Andrade C, Rao NS. Andrade C, et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994 Apr;51(4):335-6. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1994.03950040079013. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994. PMID: 8161296 No abstract available.

Similar articles

• Naltrexone and coping skills therapy for alcohol dependence. A controlled study.
  O'Malley SS, Jaffe AJ, Chang G, Schottenfeld RS, Meyer RE, Rounsaville B. O'Malley SS, et al. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1992 Nov;49(11):881-7. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1992.01820110045007. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1992. PMID: 1444726 Clinical Trial.
• Naltrexone and cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of outpatient alcoholics: results of a placebo-controlled trial.
  Anton RF, Moak DH, Waid LR, Latham PK, Malcolm RJ, Dias JK. Anton RF, et al. Am J Psychiatry. 1999 Nov;156(11):1758-64. doi: 10.1176/ajp.156.11.1758. Am J Psychiatry. 1999. PMID: 10553740 Clinical Trial.
• Naltrexone decreases craving and alcohol self-administration in alcohol-dependent subjects and activates the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis.
  O'Malley SS, Krishnan-Sarin S, Farren C, Sinha R, Kreek MJ. O'Malley SS, et al. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2002 Feb;160(1):19-29. doi: 10.1007/s002130100919. Epub 2002 Jan 22. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2002. PMID: 11862370 Clinical Trial.
• Naltrexone in the treatment of alcoholism: a clinical review.
  O'Brien CP, Volpicelli LA, Volpicelli JR. O'Brien CP, et al. Alcohol. 1996 Jan-Feb;13(1):35-9. doi: 10.1016/0741-8329(95)02038-1. Alcohol. 1996. PMID: 8837932 Review.
• The status of naltrexone in the treatment of alcohol dependence: specific effects on heavy drinking.
  Pettinati HM, O'Brien CP, Rabinowitz AR, Wortman SP, Oslin DW, Kampman KM, Dackis CA. Pettinati HM, et al. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2006 Dec;26(6):610-25. doi: 10.1097/01.jcp.0000245566.52401.20. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2006. PMID: 17110818 Review.

Cited by

• Nalmefene attenuates neural alcohol cue-reactivity in the ventral striatum and subjective alcohol craving in patients with alcohol use disorder.
  Karl D, Bumb JM, Bach P, Dinter C, Koopmann A, Hermann D, Mann K, Kiefer F, Vollstädt-Klein S. Karl D, et al. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2021 Aug;238(8):2179-2189. doi: 10.1007/s00213-021-05842-7. Epub 2021 Apr 12. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2021. PMID: 33846866 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
• The novel mu-opioid antagonist, GSK1521498, reduces ethanol consumption in C57BL/6J mice.
  Ripley TL, Sanchez-Roige S, Bullmore ET, Mugnaini M, Maltby K, Miller SR, Wille DR, Nathan P, Stephens DN. Ripley TL, et al. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2015 Sep;232(18):3431-41. doi: 10.1007/s00213-015-3995-x. Epub 2015 Jul 5. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2015. PMID: 26141191 Free PMC article.
• Focus on: Neuroscience and treatment: the potential of neuroscience to inform treatment.
  Koob GF. Koob GF. Alcohol Res Health. 2010;33(1-2):144-51. Alcohol Res Health. 2010. PMID: 23579944 Free PMC article. Review.
• Targeting dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor systems to treat alcohol abuse and dependence.
  Walker BM, Valdez GR, McLaughlin JP, Bakalkin G. Walker BM, et al. Alcohol. 2012 Jun;46(4):359-70. doi: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2011.10.006. Epub 2012 Mar 27. Alcohol. 2012. PMID: 22459870 Free PMC article. Review.
• Charting a path between research and practice in alcoholism treatment.
  McCarty D, Edmundson E Jr, Hartnett T. McCarty D, et al. Alcohol Res Health. 2006;29(1):5-10. Alcohol Res Health. 2006. PMID: 16767847 Free PMC article.

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources

• Full Text Sources

  • Silverchair Information Systems

• Other Literature Sources

  • The Lens - Patent Citations Database

• Medical

  • MedlinePlus Health Information

• Miscellaneous

  • NCI CPTAC Assay Portal