Oral vs. Injectable Naltrexone for Hospitalized Veterans With Alcohol Dependence
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2016-01-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The over-arching goal of the proposed project is to understand the impact of medication
adherence upon engagement in behavioral treatment for alcohol use disorders. The proposed
project is a pilot feasibility study of inpatient veterans with problem alcohol use at the
William S. Middleton VA Hospital (Madison, WI). Participants will be randomized to one of two
parallel study conditions: (1) an initial 50 mg oral dose of naltrexone prior to hospital
discharge plus a 30-day prescription for oral naltrexone, or (2) a single 380 mg
intramuscular injection of naltrexone administered prior to discharge and a second injection
one month later. The central hypothesis is that hospital-administered injectable naltrexone,
when compared to daily oral naltrexone taken at home, will reduce alcohol use in the days
immediately following hospitalization. Injectable naltrexone has been efficacious vs. placebo
in addition to behavioral treatment in several studies. However, it has yet to be examined in
head-to-head comparison with oral naltrexone, or in the hospital setting as an intervention
that might facilitate behavioral treatment follow up after discharge.