Adjunctive Ketamine With Relapse Prevention–Based Psychological Therapy in the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder

• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21030277
• Publication Date: 2022-01-11T08:00:36Z
• Authors: Meryem Grabski; Amy McAndrew; Will Lawn; Beth Marsh; Laura Raymen; Tobias Stevens; Lorna Hardy; Fiona Warren; Michael Bloomfield; Anya Borissova; Emily Maschauer; Rupert Broomby; Robert Price; Rachel Coathup; David Gilhooly; Edward Palmer; Richard Gordon-Wi...; Robert Hill; Jen Harris; O. Merve Mollaahm...; H. Valerie Curran; Brigitta Brandner; Anne Lingford-Hughes; Celia J.A. Morgan
• Keywords: Relapse prevention; Alcohol use disorder; Alcohol Dependence

Objective: Early evidence suggests that ketamine may be an effective treatment to sustain abstinence from alcohol. The authors investigated the safety and efficacy of compared with placebo in increasing patients alcohol use disorder. An additional aim was pilot combined mindfulness-based relapse prevention therapy education as a control. Methods: In double-blind placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical trial, 96 severe disorder were randomly assigned one four conditions: 1) three weekly infusions (0.8 mg/kg i.v. over 40 minutes) plus psychological therapy, 2) saline 3) education, or 4) education. primary outcomes self-reported percentage days abstinent confirmed at 6-month follow-up. Results: Ninety-six participants (35 women; mean age, 44.07 years [SD=10.59]) included intention-to-treat analysis. well tolerated, no serious adverse events associated study drug. Although confidence intervals wide, consistent proof-of-concept study, there significantly greater number group follow-up (mean difference=10.1%, 95% CI=1.1, 19.0), greatest reduction (15.9%, CI=3.8, 28.1). There significant difference rate between groups. Conclusions: This demonstrated tolerated more findings suggest possible beneficial effect adding alongside treatment.