Moncini M, Masini E, Gambassi F, Mannaioni P F
Department of Preclinical and Clinical Pharmacology, Toxicological Unit, Florence University, Via G. Pieraccini 6, 50139, Florence, Italy.
Alcohol. 2000 Apr;20(3):285-91. doi: 10.1016/s0741-8329(99)00093-2.
We report on the effectiveness and safety of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid in the therapy of overt alcohol withdrawal syndromes, their prevention, and the prevention of relapses in formerly detoxified alcoholics. We studied 321 patients (236 men, 85 women), divided into two open-study groups for the treatment and prevention of alcohol withdrawal syndromes and one double-blind study group to evaluate the effects of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid versus placebo on alcoholic craving and relapses in detoxified patients. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid treatment promptly reduced withdrawal symptoms in all patients and prevented alcohol withdrawal syndromes in 55% of cases. The attenuation of craving in detoxified patients was significantly greater in the gamma-hydroxybutyric acid-treated group in comparison with the placebo-treated group. The therapeutic use of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid was not accompanied by serious side effects. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid diversion was poorly represented: gamma-hydroxybutyric acid-induced abuse was reported in 4 (1.1%) of 345 treated patients, and only 9 cases of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid acute poisoning were reported in the years 1992-1995. Our results suggest that gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, with a favorable risk/benefit ratio, is a clinically useful drug in the treatment of alcohol dependence.
我们报告了γ-羟基丁酸在治疗明显酒精戒断综合征、预防该综合征以及预防既往已戒酒者复发方面的有效性和安全性。我们研究了321例患者（236例男性，85例女性），将其分为两个开放研究组用于治疗和预防酒精戒断综合征，以及一个双盲研究组，以评估γ-羟基丁酸与安慰剂相比对已戒酒患者的酒瘾及复发的影响。γ-羟基丁酸治疗能迅速减轻所有患者的戒断症状，并在55%的病例中预防了酒精戒断综合征。与安慰剂治疗组相比，γ-羟基丁酸治疗组中已戒酒患者的酒瘾减轻更为显著。γ-羟基丁酸的治疗应用未伴有严重副作用。γ-羟基丁酸被滥用的情况较少：在345例接受治疗的患者中，有4例（1.1%）报告有γ-羟基丁酸所致的滥用，并且在1992年至1995年期间仅报告了9例γ-羟基丁酸急性中毒病例。我们的结果表明，γ-羟基丁酸具有良好的风险/效益比，是治疗酒精依赖的一种临床有用药物。
