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Disulfiram Treatment of Alcoholism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Jonathan Chick ,
Kevin Gough ,
Wojciech Falkowski ,
Peter Kershaw ,
Brian Hore ,
Brij Mehta ,
Bruce Ritson ,
Richard Ropner  and
Denis Torley
Jonathan Chick*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Edinburgh University, Royal Edinburgh Hospital EH10 5HF
Kevin Gough
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, Fisons plc Pharmaceutical Division, Bakewell Road, Loughborough LE11 0RH
Wojciech Falkowski
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St George's Hospital, Blackshaw Rd, London SW17 0QT
Peter Kershaw
Affiliation:
Gartnavel Royal Hospital, 1055 St Western Rd, Glasgow G12 0XH
Brian Hore
Affiliation:
Alcoholism Treatment Unit, Withington Hospital, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 8AL
Brij Mehta
Affiliation:
Rotherham District General Hospital, Moorgate Rd, Rotherham S60 2UD
Bruce Ritson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital
Richard Ropner
Affiliation:
Adult Mental Illness and Alcoholism Unit, Coney Hill Hospital, Gloucester
Denis Torley
Affiliation:
Alcohol Problems Clinic, Dykebar Hospital, Paisley, Renfrewshire PA2 7DE
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

To assess the efficacy of supervised disulfiram as an adjunct to out-patient treatment of alcoholics, a randomised, partially blind, six-month follow-up study was conducted in which 126 patients received 200 mg disulfiram or 100 mg vitamin C under the supervision of a nominated informant. In the opinion of the (blinded) independent assessor, patients on disulfiram increased average total abstinent days by 100 and patients on vitamin C by 69, thus enhancing by one-third this measure of treatment outcome. Mean weekly alcohol consumption was reduced by 162 units with disulfiram, compared with 105 units with vitamin C., and the disulfiram patients reduced their total six-month alcohol consumption by 2572 units compared with an average reduction of 1448 units in the vitamin C group. Serum gamma-GT showed a mean fall of 21 IU/I in patients on disulfiram but rose by a mean of 13 IU/I with vitamin C. Unwanted effects in the disulfiram group led to a dose reduction in seven patients and to treatment withdrawal in four (and in one vitamin C patient). Two-thirds of the disulfiram group asked to continue the treatment at the end of the study. There were no medically serious adverse reactions.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 161 , Issue 1 , July 1992 , pp. 84 - 89
Copyright
Copyright © 1992 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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