OBJECTIVE: Metadoxine is approved in Europe for alcohol intoxication and is also indicated for alcoholic liver disease (ALD). This study aims to investigate the use of metadoxine as a potential pharmacotherapy for alcohol dependence (AD). METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 94 outpatients with AD, who received metadoxine for alcohol intoxication and were assessed for alcohol consumption, craving [Visual Analog Scale (VAS)] and liver-related and alcohol-related biomarkers [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, mean corpuscular volume]. RESULTS: Range of metadoxine dose was 500-2000 mg/day, with a mean dose of 1277(s.d.290) mg/day, and for a period of 2-42 days, with a mean period of 8.9(s.d.7.0) days. Follow-up data were available for 52 patients (55.3%); 35(67.3%) patients were completely abstinent. There was a significant decrease in drinks per week, even after substituting baseline drinking as follow-up data for dropouts (p < 0.001) and examining drinking pre-treatment and post-treatment for those who did not achieve abstinence (p < 0.001). There was a significant decrease in the VAS (p < 0.001) and a significant improvement in the AST/ALT ratio (p = 0.03). DISCUSSION: Despite important limitations, this study represents a further preliminary observation suggesting metadoxine as a novel alcohol pharmacotherapy, including in alcohol-dependent patients with ALD.
OBJECTIVE:Metadoxine is approved in Europe for alcohol intoxication and is also indicated for alcoholic liver disease (ALD). This study aims to investigate the use of metadoxine as a potential pharmacotherapy for alcohol dependence (AD). METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 94 outpatients with AD, who received metadoxine for alcohol intoxication and were assessed for alcohol consumption, craving [Visual Analog Scale (VAS)] and liver-related and alcohol-related biomarkers [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, mean corpuscular volume]. RESULTS: Range of metadoxine dose was 500-2000 mg/day, with a mean dose of 1277(s.d.290) mg/day, and for a period of 2-42 days, with a mean period of 8.9(s.d.7.0) days. Follow-up data were available for 52 patients (55.3%); 35(67.3%) patients were completely abstinent. There was a significant decrease in drinks per week, even after substituting baseline drinking as follow-up data for dropouts (p < 0.001) and examining drinking pre-treatment and post-treatment for those who did not achieve abstinence (p < 0.001). There was a significant decrease in the VAS (p < 0.001) and a significant improvement in the AST/ALT ratio (p = 0.03). DISCUSSION: Despite important limitations, this study represents a further preliminary observation suggesting metadoxine as a novel alcohol pharmacotherapy, including in alcohol-dependent patients with ALD.
Authors: Giovanni Addolorato; Antonio Mirijello; Lorenzo Leggio; Anna Ferrulli; Raffaele Landolfi Journal: CNS Drugs Date: 2013-04 Impact factor: 5.749
Authors: Cynthia L Vuittonet; Michael Halse; Lorenzo Leggio; Samuel B Fricchione; Michael Brickley; Carolina L Haass-Koffler; Tonya Tavares; Robert M Swift; George A Kenna Journal: Am J Health Syst Pharm Date: 2014-08-01 Impact factor: 2.637
Authors: Fátima Higuera-de la Tijera; Alfredo I Servín-Caamaño; Aurora E Serralde-Zúñiga; Javier Cruz-Herrera; Eduardo Pérez-Torres; Juan M Abdo-Francis; Francisco Salas-Gordillo; José L Pérez-Hernández Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2015-04-28 Impact factor: 5.742