[Analysis of clinical data on alcoholics: a 3-year follow-up study]

74 male alcoholics participated in a three year prospective study. Data were collected four times: at admission (for the detoxification) and 1, 2 and 3 years after discharge. Patients were divided into groups according to drinking behaviour. Abstainers and relapsers who had been followed up for three years were compared with treatment variables in an attempt to separate those factors which would be predictors of outcome type. Our results indicate that for alcoholics, having an additional diagnosis of antisocial personality or drug dependence was associated with poor outcome. We failed to find a relationship between the history of alcohol dependence (manner of drinking, age of onset etc.) and clinical course. Our results suggest that symptoms of depression and anxiety, observed during a period of detoxification were gradually lowered according to the time of abstinence. Abstinence-status at a 3 year follow-up was associated with regular out-patients treatment especially during the first year after discharge.