G. Fontana Centre for the Study and Multidisciplinary Treatment of Alcohol Addiction, Department of Internal Medicine, Cardioangiology and Hepatology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
J Psychopharmacol. 2009 Nov;23(8):883-90. doi: 10.1177/0269881108094620. Epub 2008 Jul 17.
Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a drug currently used for the treatment of alcohol dependence. The aim of our study was to investigate the incidence of craving for and abuse of GHB in 47 patients enrolled and divided into four groups: group A (pure alcoholics), group B (alcoholics with a sustained full remission from cocaine dependence), group C (alcoholics with a sustained full remission from heroin dependence) and group D (alcoholics in a methadone maintenance treatment [MMT] programme). All patients were treated with an oral dose of GHB (50 mg/kg of body weight t.i.d.) for three months. Craving for GHB was statistically significant higher in group B than in group A (P < 0.001), C (P = 0.01) and D (P < 0.001), and in group C than in group D (P < 0.05). Abuse of GHB proved to be statistically significant higher in group B than in group A (P < 0.001) and D (P < 0.01), and in group C than in group A (P = 0.01) and D (P < 0.05). Thus, the administration of GHB in alcoholics with a sustained full remission from heroin or cocaine dependence is not recommended; however, this should not discourage physicians from using GHB for the treatment of pure alcoholics or alcohol dependents following a MMT.
γ-羟基丁酸（GHB）是一种目前用于治疗酒精依赖的药物。我们的研究目的是调查 47 名入组并分为四组的患者对 GHB 的渴望和滥用发生率：A 组（单纯酒精依赖者）、B 组（可卡因依赖持续完全缓解的酒精依赖者）、C 组（海洛因依赖持续完全缓解的酒精依赖者）和 D 组（美沙酮维持治疗 [MMT] 方案中的酒精依赖者）。所有患者均接受 GHB（50mg/kg 体重，tid）口服治疗三个月。B 组的 GHB 渴望明显高于 A 组（P<0.001）、C 组（P=0.01）和 D 组（P<0.001），C 组高于 D 组（P<0.05）。B 组的 GHB 滥用明显高于 A 组（P<0.001）和 D 组（P<0.01），C 组高于 A 组（P=0.01）和 D 组（P<0.05）。因此，不建议在海洛因或可卡因依赖持续完全缓解的酒精依赖者中使用 GHB；然而，这不应阻止医生在纯酒精依赖者或接受 MMT 的酒精依赖者中使用 GHB 进行治疗。
