BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, mecamylamine, is a potential novel pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder. The aims were to compare alcohol consumption between mecamylamine and placebo and test if smoking status modified treatment effects. DESIGN: Out-patient, randomized, double-blind clinical trial for 12 weeks of treatment with mecamylamine (10 mg) (n = 65) versus placebo (n = 63). SETTING: Connecticut, USA. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals had current alcohol dependence (n = 128), had an average age of 48.5 [standard deviation (SD) = 9.4], 110 (85.9%) were men, and included 74 smokers (57.8%) and 54 non-smokers (42.2%). Participants were randomized to mecamylamine 10 mg per day or placebo. All subjects also received medical management therapy administered by trained research personnel. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome was percentage of heavy drinking days during the last month of treatment; other outcomes included drinking days, drinks per drinking days, alcohol craving, smoking, symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and side effects. FINDINGS: There were no significant differences in the percentage of heavy drinking days at 3 months between the mecamylamine (mean = 18.4, SD = 29.0) and placebo treatment groups (mean = 20.4, SD = 29.2) [F1, 100 = 1.3, P = 0.25; effect size d = 0.07; mean difference = 2.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -8.96 to 13.08]. There were no significant differences in percentage of drinking days or in drinks per drinking day at month 3 between the mecamylamine and placebo groups; there were no significant interactions. CONCLUSIONS:Mecamylamine 10 mg per day did not reduce alcohol consumption significantly in treatment-seeking smokers and non-smokers with alcohol use disorder.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, mecamylamine, is a potential novel pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder. The aims were to compare alcohol consumption between mecamylamine and placebo and test if smoking status modified treatment effects. DESIGN: Out-patient, randomized, double-blind clinical trial for 12 weeks of treatment with mecamylamine (10 mg) (n = 65) versus placebo (n = 63). SETTING: Connecticut, USA. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals had current alcohol dependence (n = 128), had an average age of 48.5 [standard deviation (SD) = 9.4], 110 (85.9%) were men, and included 74 smokers (57.8%) and 54 non-smokers (42.2%). Participants were randomized to mecamylamine 10 mg per day or placebo. All subjects also received medical management therapy administered by trained research personnel. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome was percentage of heavy drinking days during the last month of treatment; other outcomes included drinking days, drinks per drinking days, alcohol craving, smoking, symptoms of nicotine withdrawal and side effects. FINDINGS: There were no significant differences in the percentage of heavy drinking days at 3 months between the mecamylamine (mean = 18.4, SD = 29.0) and placebo treatment groups (mean = 20.4, SD = 29.2) [F1, 100 = 1.3, P = 0.25; effect size d = 0.07; mean difference = 2.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -8.96 to 13.08]. There were no significant differences in percentage of drinking days or in drinks per drinking day at month 3 between the mecamylamine and placebo groups; there were no significant interactions. CONCLUSIONS:Mecamylamine 10 mg per day did not reduce alcohol consumption significantly in treatment-seeking smokers and non-smokers with alcohol use disorder.
Authors: Jason A Oliver; Melissa D Blank; Kate Janse Van Rensburg; David A MacQueen; Thomas H Brandon; David J Drobes Journal: J Abnorm Psychol Date: 2013-11
Authors: Sherry A McKee; Emily L R Harrison; Stephanie S O'Malley; Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin; Julia Shi; Jeanette M Tetrault; Marina R Picciotto; Ismene L Petrakis; Naralys Estevez; Erika Balchunas Journal: Biol Psychiatry Date: 2009-02-27 Impact factor: 13.382
Authors: Andrea Cippitelli; Gloria Brunori; Jennifer Schoch; Christopher J Armishaw; Jinhua Wu; Nurulain T Zaveri; Marc A Giulianotti; Gregory S Welmaker; Lawrence Toll Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2018-03-23 Impact factor: 4.530