Disulfiram for the Treatment of Alcoholism: An Evaluation in 128 Men
Abstract
One hundred twenty-eight alcoholic men were assigned randomly to receive either a regular dose of disulfiram (250 mg), a pharmacologically inactive dose (1 mg), or no disulfiram. There were no statistically significant differences among the three treatment groups in total abstinence, percentage of drinking days, days worked, family stability (living with same relative), or percent of scheduled appointments kept. However, 21% of those who received the regular dose of disulfiram and 25% who received the pharmacologically inactive dose remained abstinent, whereas only 12% of those who received no disulfiram did so. These results indicate that disulfiram may be of limited value in the treatment of alcoholism, fear of the disulfiram-ethanol reaction is important in preventing drinking, and patients willing to take disulfiram are more likely to be abstinent if given the drug. We also found that complete abstinence correlated significantly with compliance and obtaining employment.
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In combined control groups, six participants reported serious adverse events requiring hospitalization from three studies.
“In the combined control groups, six participants reported serious adverse events requiring hospitalization from three studies [38], [39], [42].”
From Disulfiram Efficacy in the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence: A Meta-Analysis (2014) · cites this paper as [39]
Cites
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Self-citationThe Use of Riboflavin as an Indicator of Isoniazid Ingestion in Self-Medicated Patients
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Naltrexone in the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence
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- Authors
- FULLER, R. K., & ROTH, H. P.
- Affiliations
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Corresponding author
- FULLER, RICHARD K.
- Venue
- Annals of Internal Medicine
- Publisher
- American College of Physicians
- Published
- 1979-06-01
- Volume
- 90
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 901-904
- ISSN
- 0003-4819 (ISSN-L)
- 1539-3704
- OpenAlex
- W2067923563
- Cited by
- 132
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 5 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 5.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annals of Internal Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Alcoholism and Thiamine Deficiency
- Keywords
- disulfiram, alcoholism treatment, alcohol abstinence, disulfiram-ethanol reaction, medication adherence, employment, family stability
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Alcoholism, Clinical Trials as Topic, Disulfiram, Double-Blind Method, Family, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Compliance, Work
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