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Prolonged Benzodiazepine Levels Following Withdrawal in Alcohol Dependence.
Hilary J Little1, Kim Donoghue1,2, Colin Drummond1
1Addictions Department, National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
Residual benzodiazepines were detected in urine up to two weeks after the last dose in patients withdrawing from alcohol. These levels may impact cognitive function test results during detoxification.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Trials
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Alcohol withdrawal can lead to serious complications like seizures.
- Chlordiazepoxide, a benzodiazepine, is used to manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
- Cognitive function is a key outcome in alcohol withdrawal studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure benzodiazepine concentrations in urine during alcohol withdrawal.
- To assess the impact of residual benzodiazepines on cognitive testing.
- To inform the interpretation of cognitive function data in clinical trials.
Main Methods:
- Urine samples were collected from participants in a clinical trial for alcohol withdrawal.
- Benzodiazepine concentrations were measured using mass spectrometry.
- Measurements were taken before cognitive function tests at 3 and 4 weeks post-cessation.
Main Results:
- Significant concentrations of active benzodiazepine metabolites were found in urine.
- These concentrations were comparable to or higher than therapeutic doses.
- Residual benzodiazepines were detected up to two weeks after the last ingestion.
Conclusions:
- Urinary benzodiazepine levels can remain elevated for up to two weeks after cessation of use.
- Elevated benzodiazepine concentrations may confound cognitive testing results in alcohol-dependent individuals.
- This finding is crucial for interpreting cognitive data in alcohol withdrawal studies.
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