Sodium oxybate in maintaining alcohol abstinence in alcoholic patients according to Lesch typologies: A pilot study

Caputo, Fabio
Del Re, Arfedele
Brambilla, Romeo
Grignaschi, Alice
Vignoli, Teo
Vigna-Taglianti, Federica
Addolorato, Giovanni
Zoli, Giorgio
Cibin, Mauro
Bernardi, Mauro

Publication date

January 2014

DOI

Abstract

Sodium oxybate (SO) is a γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA)-ergic drug currently used for the treatment of alcohol dependence (AD) in some European countries. The aim of this study was to describe the effect of SO administration in alcoholics classified according to Lesch alcoholism typology (LAT). Forty-eight patients were enrolled and classified into four groups according to LAT. All patients were treated with oral SO (50 mg/kg of body weight t.i.d.) for 12 weeks. All patients significantly reduced their alcohol intake (p<0.001). Alcohol abstinence during the 12 weeks of treatment did not differ between the four groups at the end of treatment. Craving for SO did not significantly differ amongst groups; cases of SO abuse were very limited and wer...