Efficacy of acamprosate for alcohol dependence in a family medicine setting in the United States: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Background: Acamprosate has been found to enhance rates of complete abstinence and to increase percent days abstinent (PDA) from alcohol relative to placebo treatment. As most U.S.

Maximum forces acting on the abdominal wall: experimental validation of a theoretical modeling in a human cadaver study.

Incisional hernias following median laparotomy have a high incidence and recurrence rate after repair, so that a better understanding of the linea alba biomechanics is desirable. The mechanical stress exerted on the linea alba in living humans is primarily generated by the musculature. In this human cadaver study, intraabdominal pressure was simulated by insertion of a balloon that was increasingly filled to maximal pressures of 200 mbar.

The effects of extended-release naltrexone on holiday drinking in alcohol-dependent patients.

A post hoc analysis examined the effect of extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) treatment combined with psychosocial support on alcohol consumption during holiday and nonholiday periods in a cohort of alcohol-dependent patients who had maintained at least 4 days of continuous abstinence before receiving their first treatment. Three parameters of drinking behavior were examined: percentage of drinking days, percentage of heavy drinking days, and the number of drinks per day. Patients receiving XR-NTX 380 mg reported significantly lower median percentages of drinking days, heavy drinking days, and the number of drinks per day compared with the placebo group.

Patterns of urges during early abstinence in alcohol-dependent subjects.

Urges for alcohol can lead to relapse, but some alcoholics report few urges. We hypothesized that ecological momentary assessment techniques would reveal multiple urge patterns in newly-abstinent alcoholics. Forty-eight alcohol-dependent subjects used PDAs to assess urges to drink in abstinence.

A multi-site dose ranging study of nalmefene in the treatment of alcohol dependence.

The opiate antagonist nalmefene has been shown in 2 single-site studies to reduce alcohol consumption and relapse drinking in alcohol-dependent individuals. This safety and preliminary multisite efficacy study evaluated 3 doses of nalmefene (5, 20, or 40 mg) in a double-blind comparison to placebo over a 12-week treatment period in 270 recently abstinent outpatient alcohol-dependent individuals. Participants concomitantly received 4 sessions of a motivational enhancement therapy (with a medication compliance component) delivered from trained counselors.

Automating standard alcohol use assessment instruments via interactive voice response technology.

Background: Interactive voice response (IVR) technology integrates touch-tone telephones with computer-automated data processing. IVR offers a convenient, efficient method for remote collection of self-report data.

Methods: Twenty-six subjects recruited from an outpatient alcohol treatment center completed IVR and paper/pencil versions of a demographic and drinking history questionnaire, Stages of Change Readiness and Treatment Eagerness Scale, Drinker Inventory of Consequences, Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale, Alcohol Dependence Scale, and two numerical rating scales of craving and desire to drink during the prior week.