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Levetiracetam in the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence: Toward the End of the Story?
Author(s) -
Strat Yann
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01891.x
Subject(s) - levetiracetam , placebo , randomized controlled trial , medicine , alcohol , psychiatry , psychology , epilepsy , alternative medicine , biochemistry , chemistry , pathology
Background Levetiracetam exhibited 2 promising results in preclinical studies as well as in treating alcohol withdrawal in humans. Two open‐label trials suggested that levetiracetam may be efficient in alcohol‐related disorder. Methods The study by Fertig and colleagues (2012) examines the effects of levetiracetam using a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled design including 130 participants. Fertig and colleagues' study included alcohol‐dependent participants drinking heavily. Double‐blind medication was dispensed for 16 weeks, with a target dose of 2,000 mg per day from week 5 to week 14, and then tapered. Results The results are negative both on the primary and on the secondary outcomes, except from lower alcohol‐related consequences in the levetiracetam extended‐release (XR) group, and a trend for a lower quality of life in the levetiracetam XR group. These last 2 results would have been nonsignificant after controlling for multiple testing. Conclusions By conducting a state‐of‐the‐art randomized‐controlled clinical trial with negative results, Fertig and colleagues have filled an important gap in the existing literature.