Comparative Study of Gamma-hydroxy Butyrate Versus Oxazepam in the Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome
- Conditions
- Alcohol Withdrawal SyndromeAlcohol Dependence
- Interventions
- Registration Number
- NCT02090504
- Lead Sponsor
- Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
- Brief Summary
Benzodiazepines (BDZs) are the gold standard in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). Gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid also known as sodium oxybate (SMO) has been tested as a treatment for AWS with encouraging results. Aim of this phase IV, multicenter randomized double-blind, double dummy study is to evaluate the efficacy of SMO in comparison to oxazepam in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal symptoms (AWS).
- Detailed Description
This is a phase IV, multicenter randomized (1:1), active drug-controlled study (double-blind, double dummy) with parallel groups evaluating the efficacy of SMO versus oxazepam in the treatment of AWS in alcohol-dependent patients.
A placebo-controlled design was considered but excluded, given that a gold standard treatment for AWS is available (i.e., BDZs).
Furthermore, considering that SMO and oxazepam have two different pharmaceutical formulation (suspension and tablets, respectively), a double-dummy design was adopted.
Thus, all subjects will receive both medications, tablets (oxazepam or placebo) and suspension (SMO or placebo), at the same time.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 127
- age range 21-75,
- diagnosis of alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV criteria
- the presence of AWS as assessed by Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol-revised (CIWA-Ar) scale, a scoring system for quantitative evaluation of physical symptoms of AWS.20 Only subjects with a CIWA-Ar score equal to or higher than 10 (defined as moderate or severe AWS requiring pharmacological treatment) were ultimately enrolled in the study.
Exclusion criteria:
- ≤55 kg of body weight;
- history of withdrawal fits within 24 hours pre-study;
- history of epilepsy or epileptics seizures not properly controlled by established anti-epileptic treatment;
- dependence from narcotics, BDZs or other drugs of abuse;
- documented pre-existent hypersensitivity to SMO or to BDZs,
- renal failure (blood creatinine >2•5 mg/dl and/or documented proteinuria >500 mg/die),
- heart failure,
- severe respiratory failure
- hepatic encephalopathy stage II-IV;
- psychiatric disorders requiring treatment with psychoactive medications before the start of the study;
- treatment with clonidine, haloperidol, bromocriptine during the last 3 months prior to participation in the study;
- participation to other clinical investigations in the previous month prior to recruitment;
- females whose could not assure not to become pregnant during the 1 month period of treatment, and during the subsequent 3 weeks;
- subjects without a stable social condition or homeless.
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Sodium oxybate (SMO) Sodium Oxybate (SMO) Patients randomized to the first arm of the study will receive: * SMO (sodium oxybate 175 mg/ml suspension): 10ml at 8.00 a.m., 10ml at 12.00 p.m., 10ml at 7.00 p.m. from day 1 to day 5, 5ml at 8.00 a.m., 5ml at 12.00 p.m., 5ml at 7.00 pm, on days 6 and 7, and 2.5ml at 8.00 a.m., 2.5 ml at 12.00 p.m., 2.5ml at 7.00 p.m. from day 8 to day 10 (If patient's weight is \> 75 kg the dosage will be of 12ml instead of 10 ml, 6ml instead of 5ml, 3 ml instead of 2.5ml); * placebo (tablets): 1 tablet at 8.00 a.m., 1 tablet at 12.00 p.m., 1 tablet at 7.00 p.m. from day 1 to day 10. Oxazepam Oxazepam Patients randomized to the second arm of the study will receive: * OXAZEPAM (tablets): 60mg at 8.00 a.m., 60mg at 12.00 p.m., 90mg at 7.00 p.m. from day 1 to day 5, 30mg at 8.00 a.m., 30mg at 12.00 p.m., 30mg at 7.00 pm, on days 6 and 7, and 15mg at 8.00 a.m., 15mg at 12.00 p.m., 15mg at 7.00 p.m. from day 8 to day 10; * placebo (suspension): 10ml at 8.00 a.m., 10ml at 12.00 p.m., 10ml at 7.00 p.m. from day 1 to day 5, 5ml at 8.00 a.m., 5ml at 12.00 p.m., 5ml at 7.00 pm, on days 6 and 7, and 2.5ml at 8.00 a.m., 2.5 ml at 12.00 p.m., 2.5ml at 7.00 p.m. from day 8 to day 10, (If patient's weight is \> 75 kg the dosage will be of 12ml instead of 10 ml, 6ml instead of 5ml, 3 ml instead of 2.5ml).
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Efficacy of GHB compared to oxazepam on alcohol withdrawal symptoms day 1, day 10, day 20 The primary outcome was the reduction of symptoms of AWS reflected by the course of the total CIWA-Ar scores from the start (baseline) to the end of the study (day 10) and to the end of follow up (day 20, 10 days after drugs discontinuation).
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Course of alcohol abstinence day 1, day 10, day 20 Secondary outcome variables included the course of alcohol abstinence. In order to confirm daily alcohol abstinence, a breath analyzer was used. In addition, to define those subjects remaining abstinent throughout the whole treatment period, carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (%CDT) was evaluated at the time of screening and at the end of the treatment period.
Trial Locations
- Locations (3)
"G. Fontana" Centre for the Study and Multidisciplinary Treatment of Alcohol Addiction, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bologna
🇮🇹Bologna, BO, Italy
Catholic University of Rome
🇮🇹Rome, Rm, Italy
University of Wien
🇦🇹Wien, AT, Austria