Does acamprosate improve reduction of drinking as well as aiding abstinence?

Abstract

The study aimed to discover whether acamprosate reduces the severity of relapse for those patients undergoing abstinence-orientated treatment who are unable to abstain completely. Data on patients' alcohol consumption from 15 placebo-controlled treatment studies (n = 3309) were examined to test whether, at a given time point, patients who have taken one or more drinks since the last assessment ('relapsers', n = 1010) take alcohol on fewer days, report lower average number of drinks per day, and consume less alcohol in total with acamprosate compared to placebo. These studies had varying duration (90 days, 180 days and 360 days). There were four dates that were common to some studies (days 30, 90, 180 and 360). Among relapsers, acamprosate was significantly associated with less quantity (Q) and frequency (F) of drinking compared to placebo in each of the four follow-up periods (p < 0.001). The differences were most marked for the product Q x F (overall weekly consumption). For each period, there were fewer who were drinking an average of five or more drinks per day in the acamprosate compared to the placebo groups. Acamprosate helps reduce the severity of relapse in patients undergoing abstinence-orientated treatment.