Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research
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Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. · Apr 2007
Randomized Controlled TrialMultidimensionality of the Alcohol Withdrawal Symptom Checklist: a factor analysis of the Alcohol Withdrawal Symptom Checklist and CIWA-Ar.
This study evaluated the factor structure of 2 scales for measuring the severity of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS): a self-rated scale, the Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms Checklist (AWSC), and an observer-rated scale, the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment-Alcohol, Revised (CIWA-Ar). ⋯ Self-rated measures of AWS could play an important role in complementing observer-rated measures in clinical and research settings. In this sample, the AWSC appeared to identify multiple dimensions of AWS with face validity for clinical relevance.
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Alcohol. Clin. Exp. Res. · Apr 2007
Randomized Controlled TrialOpioid receptor gene (OPRM1, OPRK1, and OPRD1) variants and response to naltrexone treatment for alcohol dependence: results from the VA Cooperative Study.
Pharmacotherapy of alcohol dependence (AD) is at an early stage of development; currently available medications have limited efficacy. It would be clinically valuable to identify, before initiation of a course of treatment, those patients who, based on genetic markers, are most likely to respond to a specific pharmacotherapy. A previous report suggested that a functional variant at the genetic locus encoding the mu opioid receptor (Asn40Asp) is such a marker, in short-term (3-month) treatment with the opioid-blocking drug naltrexone (NTX). ⋯ These results do not support association of the OPRM1 Asn40Asp polymorphism with NTX treatment response for AD.