Naltrexone utility in depressed alcoholics

The aim of this open-label pilot study was to evaluate the utility of naltr exone (50 mg per day) in decreasing alcohol use and to examine its impact o n depressive symptoms among depressed alcoholics who have failed to abstain from alcohol use despite treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inh ibitor (SSRI). Fourteen ambulatory care patients, aged 18 to 65 years, with DSM-III-R como rbid diagnoses of alcohol dependence and major depressive disorder, who fai led to abstain despite treatment with an antidepressant medication were enr olled in the study, Patients were followed for 12 weeks with week ly assess ment of drinking behavior, depressive symptoms, functioning, alcohol cravin g, and side effects. The results of this study indicated a significant decr ease in alcohol use and in urges to drink alcohol in the presence of the us ual triggers. There was also a trend suggesting improvement in depressive s ymptoms and overall functioning. Naltrexone was well tolerated, with mild s ide effects reported at the onset of treatment.