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Preliminary findings on the use of metadoxine for the treatment of alcohol dependence and alcoholic liver disease
Author(s) -
Leggio Lorenzo,
Kenna George A.,
Ferrulli Anna,
Zywiak William H.,
Caputo Fabio,
Swift Robert M.,
Addolorato Giovanni
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
human psychopharmacology: clinical and experimental
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.461
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1099-1077
pISSN - 0885-6222
DOI - 10.1002/hup.1244
Subject(s) - alcohol , alcoholic liver disease , medicine , gastroenterology , abstinence , liver disease , pharmacology , chemistry , cirrhosis , biochemistry , psychiatry
Objective Metadoxine is approved in Europe for alcohol intoxication and is also indicated for alcoholic liver disease (ALD). This study aims to investigate the use of metadoxine as a potential pharmacotherapy for alcohol dependence (AD). Methods This is a retrospective study of 94 outpatients with AD, who received metadoxine for alcohol intoxication and were assessed for alcohol consumption, craving [Visual Analog Scale (VAS)] and liver‐related and alcohol‐related biomarkers [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma‐glutamyl‐transpeptidase, mean corpuscular volume]. Results Range of metadoxine dose was 500–2000 mg/day, with a mean dose of 1277(s.d.290) mg/day, and for a period of 2–42 days, with a mean period of 8.9(s.d.7.0) days. Follow‐up data were available for 52 patients (55.3%); 35(67.3%) patients were completely abstinent. There was a significant decrease in drinks per week, even after substituting baseline drinking as follow‐up data for dropouts ( p < 0.001) and examining drinking pre‐treatment and post‐treatment for those who did not achieve abstinence ( p < 0.001). There was a significant decrease in the VAS ( p < 0.001) and a significant improvement in the AST/ALT ratio ( p = 0.03). Discussion Despite important limitations, this study represents a further preliminary observation suggesting metadoxine as a novel alcohol pharmacotherapy, including in alcohol‐dependent patients with ALD. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.