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Individualized treatment for outpatients withdrawing from alcohol
E J Wiseman1, K L Henderson, M J Briggs
1University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 72205, USA.
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
|July 22, 1998
Summary
Symptom-triggered alcohol detoxification is feasible in outpatient settings. Most patients successfully completed treatment without complications, with fewer requiring medication like chlordiazepoxide.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Investigating the applicability of symptom-triggered detoxification in outpatient alcohol treatment.
- Assessing the feasibility of a flexible approach to managing alcohol withdrawal symptoms outside a hospital setting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of symptom-triggered detoxification for alcohol dependence in an outpatient environment.
- To compare outpatient detoxification outcomes with historical data from inpatient settings.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 108 alcohol-dependent patients in an outpatient detoxification program.
- Utilized DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis and a standardized withdrawal scale for symptom assessment.
- Chlordiazepoxide administered on a symptom-triggered basis; outcomes assessed via chart review.
Main Results:
- 85% of patients (92/108) successfully completed outpatient detoxification without medical complications.
- Only 38% of patients (41/108) required chlordiazepoxide, indicating reduced medication use.
- Patients receiving chlordiazepoxide had significantly higher baseline gamma-glutamyltransferase levels.
Conclusions:
- Symptom-triggered detoxification is a feasible and effective approach for outpatient alcohol treatment.
- Achieved high completion rates comparable to previous studies using fixed-dose outpatient protocols.
- Demonstrated reduced medication needs and favorable outcomes in an outpatient setting.