Status:

COMPLETED

N-acetylcysteine Plus Naltrexone for the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence

Lead Sponsor:

VA Office of Research and Development

Conditions:

Alcoholism

Eligibility:

All Genders

18-65 years

Phase:

PHASE2

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether: (1) the combination of N-acetylcysteine + high-dose naltrexone (150 mg) works better than high-dose naltrexone (150 mg) alone in reducing alcohol dri...

Detailed Description

The 3 groups (N-acetylcysteine plus naltrexone 150 mg, naltrexone 150 mg, and naltrexone 50 mg) will be compared in a 12-week randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • age 18-65 years
  • alcohol dependence by DSM-IV criteria
  • heavy drinking at least 6 times within the past month ('heavy drinking' defined as 5 or more standard drinks per day for men and 4 or more standard drinks for women)
  • able to provide informed consent
  • a score of 6 or more on the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS)
  • subject agrees not to take over-the-counter analgesics during the study

Exclusion

  • current drug abuse or dependence by DSM-IV criteria (except nicotine and marijuana)
  • current psychotic disorders or bipolar disorders
  • current suicidal or homicidal ideation
  • positive illicit drug screen test (except marijuana)
  • ongoing narcotic use or risks for narcotic use during the study
  • increased risk for severe alcohol withdrawal by a score of 10 or more on the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol, Revised (CIWA-Ar)
  • clinically significant cardiac, hepatic, renal, neurologic, or pulmonary disease
  • baseline aspartate aminotransferase (AST) or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) greater than 3 times normal
  • current use of disulfiram, acamprosate or topiramate
  • pregnant or nursing, or inadequate birth control methods in women of childbearing potential
  • alcohol breathalyzer level 0.08 or more at the screening visit
  • severe alcohol withdrawal (delirium tremens or withdrawal seizures) within the past year
  • currently requiring inpatient treatment for treating alcohol dependence

Key Trial Info

Start Date :

October 15 2010

Trial Type :

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation :

ACTUAL

End Date :

October 30 2016

Estimated Enrollment :

111 Patients enrolled

Trial Details

Trial ID

NCT01214083

Start Date

October 15 2010

End Date

October 30 2016

Last Update

April 8 2020

Active Locations (2)

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Page 1 of 1 (2 locations)

1

VA Connecticut Healthcare System West Haven Campus, West Haven, CT

West Haven, Connecticut, United States, 06516

2

Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55417