Literature DB >> 32382191

Comments on "Relative efficacy of N-Acetylcystiene and Baclofen in cannabis dependence - A retrospective study with telephonic follow-up".

Swathy Sheela Sudevan1, G Aparna1, Harish M Tharayil1.   

Abstract

Entities:  

Year:  2020        PMID: 32382191      PMCID: PMC7197846          DOI: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_479_19

Source DB:  PubMed          Journal:  Indian J Psychiatry        ISSN: 0019-5545            Impact factor:   1.759


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We read the article by Narasimha et al.[1] with interest. The authors have presented the data on the use of two drugs (N-acetylcysteine and baclofen) in a condition with very little pharmacotherapy options, cannabis use disorders (CUDs), with the caveat that it can only provide preliminary evidence as this was not a randomized controlled trial. These drugs are already in use for different indications. The study gives data on 72 patients treated for the primary diagnosis of CUDs. But, 47 (65.2%) of their sample had a comorbid psychiatric illness and would have received some psychotropic medications. But curiously, they have not considered that this could also be a contributing factor to the benefits they attribute to the study drugs (N-acetylcysteine and baclofen) and/or psychosocial intervention. If they had considered this as a covariate in their analysis, the findings would have been different. There is evidence that combined treatment with psychotropics and other drugs is more effective in cases of substance use disorders with comorbidity.[2] Further, they have not separately mentioned the outcomes for the 25 (34.8%) patients who did not have other psychiatric comorbidities and hence did not receive any other psychotropics, except the study drugs. Although a small number, this would be noteworthy. They have mentioned all other limitations. We agree with them that this study provides only very preliminary evidence that has to be evaluated by further studies.

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Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.
  2 in total

Review 1.  Treatment of substance abusing patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders.

Authors:  Thomas M Kelly; Dennis C Daley; Antoine B Douaihy
Journal:  Addict Behav       Date:  2011-09-14       Impact factor: 3.913

2.  Relative effectiveness of N-acetylcysteine and baclofen as anticraving agents in cannabis dependence - A retrospective study with telephonic follow-up.

Authors:  Venkata Lakshmi Narasimha; Lekhansh Shukla; R P S Shyam; Arun Kandasamy; Vivek Benegal
Journal:  Indian J Psychiatry       Date:  2019 May-Jun       Impact factor: 1.759

  2 in total

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