An evaluation of the effects of lithium in the treatment of chronic alcoholism. I. Clinical results.

To evaluate the efficacy of lithium in chronic alcoholism, we enrolled 47 male alcoholics in a prospective double-blind two-period crossover study. Nineteen subjects completed the 6-mo study during which they received lithium and placebo each for a 3-mo period. Self-reported alcohol intake and social and psychological factors were monitored. Three subjects claimed that they did not drink during the study. Mean self-reported alcohol intake of the remaining 16 was less during lithium therapy but was also less during the first treatment period. Neither of these differences reached statistical significance. The nine depressed patients, diagnosed from their profiles of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory did not consume significantly less alcohol and did not change scores for depression significantly during lithium therapy. We could not demonstrate the lithium therapy was of benefit in our group of alcoholic patients.