Dose-dependent reduction of hazardous alcohol use in a placebo-controlled trial of naltrexone for smoking cessation.

ABSTRACT: The opiate antagonist naltrexone (Ntx) has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of alcohol dependence and as a component of treatment to reduce heavy drinking. At present, there are no published dose-ranging clinical trials of the oral preparation for treatment of problem drinking. The present study evaluated the effects of Ntx on alcohol use among the subset of hazardous drinkers (n=102) who participated in a placebo-controlled, dose-ranging trial of oral Ntx (25-mg, 50-mg and 100-mg doses) combined with open-label transdermal nicotine patch for enhancing smoking cessation. On the primary outcome--no hazardous drinking (drinking that exceeded weekly or daily limits) during treatment--25 mg and 50 mg Ntx were superior to placebo (each p<0.05). These findings remained after controlling fo

SUBMITTER: O'Malley SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3094855 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature