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Outcome study of kleptomania patients treated with naltrexone: a chart review
1Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown Medical School and Butler Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island 02906, USA. Jon_Grant@Brown.edu
Purpose:
This study examines the response to treatment in 17 patients with kleptomania who were treated with naltrexone as monotherapy for up to 3 years.
Methods:
Patients were treated with naltrexone (range, 50-200 mg/day) and were assessed at each clinic visit for stealing behavior, urges to steal, and for overall symptom severity. Liver function tests were examined regularly during treatment.
Results:
Comparison of baseline symptoms with the most recent follow-up visit showed that 13 patients (76.5%) reported reduction in their urges to steal, and 7 (41.1%) reported no stealing behavior. In addition, 9 (52.9%) were rated as being either "not ill at all" or having "very mild" kleptomania symptoms at the most recent clinic visit. The mean effective dose of naltrexone was 135.3 +/- 38.6 mg/day. Monthly liver function tests revealed no elevations or abnormalities.
Conclusion:
These findings from a clinical setting suggest that a substantial percentage of patients report clinically significant improvement in kleptomania symptoms when treated with naltrexone.
