Predictors of outcome following alcohol deaddiction treatment : a prospective longitudinal study for one year

The factors influencing the short-term outcome of alcohol dependence patients psychiatric set up were studied prospectively in an Indian population. Consecutive 60 patients with alcohol dependence syndrome according to the ICD 10 criteria, were studied. Positive outcome was noted in 55%, negative in 35%; and 10% were lost to follow up at the end of one year. There was no difference between the groups on educational level, marital status, economic status, religion, social support, associated physical or psychiatric diagnoses, type of treatment for deaddiction, age of regular drinking, days of previous abstinence and inpatient treatment days. However the negative outcome group were younger, and their average age for problem drinking was significantly less than the other group. They achieved many mile-stones of drinking career like onset of day drinking, development of dependence, diagnosis of dependence earlier. The negative outcome group also had higher psychosocial problem index, family history of alcoholism, more follow-up days using the mental health services. They did not come for follow up as quickly as the abstinent group after initiation of pathological drinking.The study suggested many clearly identifiable variables, which may distinguish prospectively patients with probable positive and negative outcome one year after the alcohol deaddiction treatment.