Cited by 31Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesOpioid Use Disorder TreatmentNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Randomized clinical trial of disulfiram for cocaine dependence or abuse during buprenorphine treatment

Schottenfeld, Richard S., Chawarski, Marek C., Cubells, Joseph F., George, Tony P., Lappalainen, Jaakko, Kosten, Thomas R.·2014·Drug and Alcohol Dependence

Abstract

Background Disulfiram may be efficacious for treating cocaine dependence or abuse, possibly through inhibiting dopamine β-hydroxylase (DβH). Consequently, this randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of disulfiram during buprenorphine maintenance treatment evaluated the study hypothesis that disulfiram is superior to placebo and explored whether disulfiram response is greatest for participants with a single nucleotide polymorphism coding for genetically low DβH (T-allele carriers). Methods We randomized 177 buprenorphine-treated opioid dependent participants with cocaine dependence or abuse to 12 weeks of double-blind treatment with disulfiram 250mg daily (n=91) or placebo (n=86). Of 155 participants genotyped, 84 were CC-homozygous, and 71 CT or TT genotypes. Primary outcomes included days per week cocaine use, number of cocaine-negative urine tests, and maximum consecutive weeks of cocaine abstinence. We analyzed an intention-to-treat comparison between disulfiram and placebo. We also explored potential pharmacogenetic interactions and examined treatment responses of four participant groups based on medication (disulfiram or placebo) by genotype (CC-homozygous or T-allele carrier) classification. Results Disulfiram participants reported significantly less frequent cocaine use; the differences in cocaine-negative urine tests or consecutive weeks abstinence were not significant. Frequency of cocaine use was lowest in disulfiram-treated T-allele carriers; differences in cocaine-negative urine tests or consecutive weeks abstinence were not significant among the four medication-genotype groups. Conclusions The findings provide limited support for the efficacy of disulfiram for reducing cocaine use and suggest that its mechanism of action may involve inhibition of DβH. Further studies of its efficacy, mechanism of action, and pharmacogenetics of response are warranted.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.12.007

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Authors
Schottenfeld, R. S., Chawarski, M. C., Cubells, J. F., George, T. P., Lappalainen, J., & Kosten, T. R.
Affiliations
  • Yale University (US)
  • Emory University (US)
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
Schottenfeld, Richard S.
Venue
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-03
Volume
136
Pages
36-42
ISSN
0376-8716 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2035657713
Cited by
31
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2
FWCI
2.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Drug and Alcohol Dependence (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Drug Abuse (K24DA000445, K05DA0454, K05DA000454, K02DA015766, K02DA016611)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
disulfiram, cocaine dependence, cocaine abuse, buprenorphine maintenance treatment, opioid use disorder, dopamine beta-hydroxylase inhibition, pharmacogenetics, single nucleotide polymorphisms, cocaine abstinence
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Alcohol Deterrents, Alcoholism, Alleles, Buprenorphine, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Disulfiram, DNA, Double-Blind Method, Drug Therapy, Combination, Female, Genotype, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Narcotic Antagonists, Opioid-Related Disorders, Pharmacogenetics, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Treatment Outcome, Sample Size, Cocaine-Related Disorders, Young Adult

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