High-dose baclofen is prescribed as a maintenance treatment to reduce alcohol use in patients with alcohol use disorder. Nevertheless, some patients still have massive alcohol intakes and require inpatient alcohol withdrawal. To compare the oral dose of benzodiazepine prescribed to manage alcohol withdrawal symptoms in patients with vs. without steady-state pretreatment with high-dose baclofen. Retrospective chart review study. Prescribed benzodiazepine dose expressed in diazepam-equivalent was compared between groups. Thirty-one patients were assessed in the high-dose maintenance baclofen group and compared to 31 matched patients not receiving baclofen. No statistically significant difference was evident between groups regarding levels of benzodiazepines prescribed. The mean diazepam-equivalent dose during the first 7 days was 294 ± 149 mg in the baclofen group vs. 310 ± 133 mg (t-test = 0.440, P = 0.661) in matched controls. Steady-state high-dose baclofen before an inpatient alcohol cessation hospitalization does not lower the needed benzodiazepine dose in the management of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Keywords: GABA receptors; alcohol withdrawal; baclofen; benzodiazepine dose; clinical management.
© 2017 Société Française de Pharmacologie et de Thérapeutique.