Alcohol use affects the outcome of treatment for cocaine abuse

This study investigated whether alcohol use affects baseline characteristics and treatment outcome in 128 adults who participated in a randomized trial of cognitive behavioral vs. 12-step treatment for crack cocaine abuse. Assessments were taken at baseline and weeks 4, 8, 12, and 26 on biologically-verified cocaine abstinence and psychometric measures. Alcohol use was measured at intake and subsequent assessments using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and self-reported frequency of alcohol consumption. Results indicate alcohol use at baseline was associated with increased baseline cocaine use and ASI drug severity but was not associated with ASI psychiatric severity, psychiatric diagnoses, or other baseline variables. Alcohol use at baseline did not predict worse treatment outcome for cocaine abstinence. However, alcohol use after four weeks of treatment did predict ability to achieve cocaine abstinence at assessment points during and after treatment.