Jon E Grant1. 1. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown Medical School and Butler Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island 02906, USA. Jon_Grant@Brown.edu
Abstract
PURPOSE: This study examines the response to treatment in 17 patients with kleptomania who were treated with naltrexone as monotherapy for up to 3 years. METHODS: Patients were treated with naltrexone (range, 50-200 mg/day) and were assessed at each clinic visit for stealing behavior, urges to steal, and for overall symptom severity. Liver function tests were examined regularly during treatment. RESULTS: Comparison of baseline symptoms with the most recent follow-up visit showed that 13 patients (76.5%) reported reduction in their urges to steal, and 7 (41.1%) reported no stealing behavior. In addition, 9 (52.9%) were rated as being either "not ill at all" or having "very mild" kleptomania symptoms at the most recent clinic visit. The mean effective dose of naltrexone was 135.3 +/- 38.6 mg/day. Monthly liver function tests revealed no elevations or abnormalities. CONCLUSION: These findings from a clinical setting suggest that a substantial percentage of patients report clinically significant improvement in kleptomania symptoms when treated with naltrexone.
PURPOSE: This study examines the response to treatment in 17 patients with kleptomania who were treated with naltrexone as monotherapy for up to 3 years. METHODS:Patients were treated with naltrexone (range, 50-200 mg/day) and were assessed at each clinic visit for stealing behavior, urges to steal, and for overall symptom severity. Liver function tests were examined regularly during treatment. RESULTS: Comparison of baseline symptoms with the most recent follow-up visit showed that 13 patients (76.5%) reported reduction in their urges to steal, and 7 (41.1%) reported no stealing behavior. In addition, 9 (52.9%) were rated as being either "not ill at all" or having "very mild" kleptomania symptoms at the most recent clinic visit. The mean effective dose of naltrexone was 135.3 +/- 38.6 mg/day. Monthly liver function tests revealed no elevations or abnormalities. CONCLUSION: These findings from a clinical setting suggest that a substantial percentage of patients report clinically significant improvement in kleptomania symptoms when treated with naltrexone.
Authors: Charlotte A Boettiger; Elizabeth A Kelley; Jennifer M Mitchell; Mark D'Esposito; Howard L Fields Journal: Pharmacol Biochem Behav Date: 2009-02-28 Impact factor: 3.533
Authors: Liam J Nestor; Louise M Paterson; Anna Murphy; John McGonigle; Csaba Orban; Laurence Reed; Eleanor Taylor; Remy Flechais; Dana Smith; Edward T Bullmore; Karen D Ersche; John Suckling; Rebecca Elliott; Bill Deakin; Ilan Rabiner; Anne Lingford Hughes; Barbara J Sahakian; Trevor W Robbins; David J Nutt Journal: Eur J Neurosci Date: 2018-11-26 Impact factor: 3.386