Efficacy of baclofen on abstinence and craving in alcohol-dependent patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026

A Method for Evaluating the Reinforcing Properties of Ethanol in Rats without Water Deprivation, Saccharin Fading or Extended Access Training
Published on: January 29, 2017
Nicolas Lesouef1, Florelle Bellet1, Geneviève Mounier1
1Centre régional de Pharmacovigilance de la Loire, Centre hospitalier et universitaire de Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne, France.
Purpose:
We conducted a meta-analysis in order to estimate the efficacy of baclofen on the maintenance of abstinence and the decrease of craving in alcohol-dependent patients.
Methods:
All randomized controlled clinical trials assessing baclofen for at least four weeks' treatment duration versus placebo or other comparators were included. The primary outcome measure was the percentage of patients who had not consumed alcohol at the end of the treatment. Measures of cumulative abstinence and indexes of craving were also assessed.
Results:
Compared to placebo, baclofen was associated with a significant increase of 179% in the percentage of abstinent patients at the end of the trial, without heterogeneity. For secondary outcome measures, based on a random-effect model, no significant effect of baclofen was observed compared to placebo.
Conclusions:
Our meta-analysis brings weak support towards an efficacy of low dosages of baclofen on the maintenance of abstinence in alcohol-dependent patients.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Drug Dependence
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

