Treating Alcohol Withdrawal With Oral Baclofen

Overview[ - collapse ][ - ]

Purpose The purpose of this study is determine if subjects with alcohol withdrawal who receive oral baclofen, plus standard benzodiazepine therapy, will experience less severe withdrawal symptoms than those who receive placebo plus standard benzodiazepine therapy.Subjects with alcohol withdrawal syndrome(AWS)who receive baclofen plus standard benzodiazepine therapy will experience fewer complications of AWS (as measured by use of additional sedatives, restraints, and/or intensive care unit [ICU] admissions) compared with subjects who receive placebo plus standard benzodiazepine therapy.
ConditionAlcohol Withdrawal Delirium
InterventionDrug: Baclofen
Drug: Placebo
Drug: Lorazepam
PhaseN/A
SponsorEssentia Health
Responsible PartyEssentia Health
ClinicalTrials.gov IdentifierNCT00597701
First ReceivedJanuary 9, 2008
Last UpdatedJuly 25, 2011
Last verifiedJuly 2011

Tracking Information[ + expand ][ + ]

First Received DateJanuary 9, 2008
Last Updated DateJuly 25, 2011
Start DateApril 2003
Estimated Primary Completion DateFebruary 2008
Current Primary Outcome MeasuresBenzodiazepine Doses Used to Treat Acutely-withdrawing Alcoholic Patients in the Baclofen-treated and Placebo-treated Groups [Time Frame: From eligibility for randomization (Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment [CIWA] score of at least 11) until 72 hours of observation had been completed.] [Designated as safety issue: Yes]In acutely-withdrawing alcoholic patients treated with either baclofen or placebo, symptom-driven benzodiazepine doses were assessed for the 72 hours following the first Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment (CIWA) score of 11 or greater.
Current Secondary Outcome MeasuresNot Provided

Descriptive Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Brief TitleTreating Alcohol Withdrawal With Oral Baclofen
Official TitleTreating Alcohol Withdrawal With Oral Baclofen: a Randomized, Double Blind, Placebo Controlled Trial
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is determine if subjects with alcohol withdrawal who receive oral
baclofen, plus standard benzodiazepine therapy, will experience less severe withdrawal
symptoms than those who receive placebo plus standard benzodiazepine therapy.Subjects with
alcohol withdrawal syndrome(AWS)who receive baclofen plus standard benzodiazepine therapy
will experience fewer complications of AWS (as measured by use of additional sedatives,
restraints, and/or intensive care unit [ICU] admissions) compared with subjects who receive
placebo plus standard benzodiazepine therapy.
Detailed Description
Alcohol use is ubiquitous in American society. 83% of Americans have ever consumed alcohol,
51% have in the lst month.

The average American consumes 2.18 gallons of ethanol yearly. Alcohol related morbidity and
mortality are staggering problems in the USA. Symptoms of alcohol withdrawal occur because
alcohol is a central nervous system depressant; abrupt withdrawal unmasks compensatory
overactivity of certain parts of the nervous system, including sympathetic autonomic
outflow. 5% of patients who undergo alcohol suffer from Delirium Tremors (DTs), a syndrome
characterized by hallucinations, disorientation, tachycardia, hypertension, low grade fever,
agitation, and diaphoresis.

DTs typically begin between 48-96 hours after the last drink and last 1 to 5 days. DTs
requires hospitalization and vigorous activity in an ICU setting.

The most successful drug treatment for alcohol withdrawal has been found to be the
benzodiazepines.

Symptom triggered treatment was found to be as effective as a fixed dose treatment to result
in less drug being used overall, with a trend toward shorter duration of withdrawal
treatment.

Baclofen is used orally for the treatment of spasticity resulting from multiple sclerosis,
spinal cord injuries/diseases and intrathecally for spasticity related to cerebral palsy,
spinal cord injury, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Its proposed benefit in alcohol withdrawal is that it may reduce voluntary alcohol intake,
alcohol craving, and may suppress the intensity of alcohol withdrawal treatment.
Study TypeInterventional
Study PhaseN/A
Study DesignAllocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Prevention
ConditionAlcohol Withdrawal Delirium
InterventionDrug: Baclofen
Baclofen 10 mg by mouth every 8 hours for 72 hours or until discharge if before 72 hours.
Other Names:
LioresalDrug: Placebo
Placebo
Drug: Lorazepam
Lorazepam was provided to all subjects (both arms of the study), as indicated by clinical condition. Standard "symptom-triggered dosing" of lorazepam for alcohol withdrawal was used. That is, the size and the frequency of the dose of lorazepam was determined by the severity of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Study Arm (s)
  • Active Comparator: Baclofen
    Standard benzodiazepine therapy plus baclofen 10 mg every 8 hours for 72 hours (9 doses) as an inpatient, or until discharge if before 72 hours.
  • Placebo Comparator: Placebo
    Standard benzodiazepine therapy plus placebo every eight hous as inpatients for 72 hours or until discharge if less than 72 hours.

Recruitment Information[ + expand ][ + ]

Recruitment StatusCompleted
Estimated Enrollment79
Estimated Completion DateFebruary 2008
Estimated Primary Completion DateFebruary 2008
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

- Meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 4th version, revised (DSMr-IV) criteria for
alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS).

- Be an inpatient at St. Mary's Medical Center (SMMC) or Miller Dwan Medical Center
(MDMC) at time of study enrollment.

- Have an alcohol withdrawal score as measured by standard SMMC or MDMC inpatient
protocol sufficient to trigger the use of benzodiazepine withdrawal therapy.

- Agree to abstain for alcohol for duration of study.

- Be able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

- The patient must not have any other active drug dependence in addition to alcohol.

- Be unwilling or unable to forgo alcohol for the duration of the study.

- Be using baclofen at the time of study enrollment.

- Be using benzodiazepines for any reason other than acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome
at time of study enrollment.

- have known baclofen or benzodiazepine sensitivity.

- Be unable to take oral (PO) meds.

- Be unable to complete one of two consenting procedures.

- Be pregnant or breastfeeding.

- Have a serum creatine level > 2.0.

- Have a history of non alcoholic withdrawal seizures.
GenderBoth
Ages18 Years
Accepts Healthy VolunteersNo
ContactsNot Provided
Location CountriesUnited States

Administrative Information[ + expand ][ + ]

NCT Number NCT00597701
Other Study ID Numbers090403
Has Data Monitoring CommitteeNo
Information Provided ByEssentia Health
Study SponsorEssentia Health
CollaboratorsNot Provided
Investigators Principal Investigator: Jeffrey Lyon, MD Essentia Health
Verification DateJuly 2011

Locations[ + expand ][ + ]

Essentia Health
Duluth, Minnesota, United States, 55805