Poorer Drinking Outcomes with Citalopram Treatment for Alcohol Dependence: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND

Previous research on the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as a treatment for alcohol dependence has yielded mixed results. Depression has been shown to be a predictor of relapse and poor outcome following treatment, and it has been hypothesized that SSRIs would be beneficial in reducing drinking in depressed alcohol-dependent individuals. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was designed to test the effects of citalopram on treatment outcomes among alcohol-dependent individuals with and without depression.

METHODS

Two hundred and sixty-five patients meeting criteria for a DSM-IV diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence were randomly assigned to receive placebo or citalopram 20 mg per day for the first week, followed by 40 mg per day from weeks 2 through 12. All patients received a standard course of treatment consisting of weekly individual and group psychotherapy. Participants were reassessed at 12 weeks, including dropouts from both treatment groups to determine rates of abstinence, changes in alcohol use, addiction severity, depressive symptoms, and psychiatric status.

RESULTS

Citalopram provided no advantage over placebo in terms of treatment outcomes, and for some measures, citalopram produced poorer outcomes. Patients in the citalopram group had a higher number of heavy drinking days throughout the trial, and smaller changes in frequency and amount of alcohol consumption at 12 weeks. There was no influence of depression severity on outcomes in either medication group. Survival analyses also indicated no differences between depressed and nondepressed patients in the citalopram group for time to first slip or relapse. A diagnosis of personality disorder was associated with poorer treatment responses overall, regardless of treatment condition.

CONCLUSIONS

This trial does not support the use of citalopram in the treatment of alcohol dependence. The results suggest that the use of SSRIs among depressed and nondepressed alcohol-dependent individuals early in recovery, prior to the onset of abstinence, may be contraindicated.