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Abstract Background Research is lacking on predictors of outcome for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD) with a goal of controlled drinking (CD). The aim of the study was to investigate one-year outcomes of an RCT, investigating Behavioral Self-Control Training (BSCT) and Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) and predictors of positive outcome for weekly alcohol consumption, CD and symptom reduction in AUD. Methods This study is based on secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial including 250 individuals with AUD (52% men) recruited from three specialized addiction clinics in Stockholm, Sweden. Linear and logistic mixed regression models were used for outcomes at 52 weeks, and linear and logistic regression models for the predictor analyses. Results BSCT was superior to MET for the change between baseline to 52 weeks for the outcome of CD, defined as low-risk drinking below ten standard drinks per week for both genders (p = 0.048). A total of 57% of individuals in BSCT attained a level of CD, as opposed to 43% in MET. Females were significantly better in attaining low-risk drinking levels compared to men. The predictor for obtaining CD and reducing weekly alcohol consumption, was a lower baseline alcohol consumption. Predictors of symptom reduction in AUD were lower baseline level of AUD, and a lower self-rated impaired control over alcohol consumption. Conclusions BSCT was superior to MET in obtaining CD levels, and women were superior to men for the same outcome. The study corroborated baseline consumption levels as an important predictor of outcome in CD treatments. The study contributes with important knowledge on key treatment targets, and knowledge to support and advice patients in planning for treatment with a goal of controlled drinking. Trial registration: The original study was registered retrospectively at isrtcn.com (14539251).

Background: Research is lacking on predictors of outcome for the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD) with a goal of controlled drinking (CD). The aim of the study was to investigate one-year outcomes of an RCT, investigating Behavioral Self-Control Training (BSCT) and Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) and predictors of positive outcome for weekly alcohol consumption, CD and symptom reduction in AUD. Methods: This study is based on secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial including 250 individuals with AUD (52% men) recruited from three specialized addiction clinics in Stockholm, Sweden. Linear and logistic mixed regression models were used for outcomes at 52 weeks, and linear and logistic regression models for the predictor analyses. Results: BSCT was superior to MET for the change between baseline to 52 weeks for the outcome of CD, defined as low-risk drinking below ten standard drinks per week for both genders (p = 0.048). A total of 57% of individuals in BSCT attained a level of CD, as opposed to 43% in MET. Females were significantly better in attaining low-risk drinking levels compared to men. The predictor for obtaining CD and reducing weekly alcohol consumption, was a lower baseline alcohol consumption. Predictors of symptom reduction in AUD were lower baseline level of AUD, and a lower self-rated impaired control over alcohol consumption. Conclusions: BSCT was superior to MET in obtaining CD levels, and women were superior to men for the same outcome. The study corroborated baseline consumption levels as an important predictor of outcome in CD treatments. The study contributes with important knowledge on key treatment targets, and knowledge to support and advice patients in planning for treatment with a goal of controlled drinking. Trial registration: The original study was registered retrospectively at isrtcn.com (14539251). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abstinence has historically been considered the preferred goal of alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment. However, most individuals with AUD do not want to abstain and many are able to reduce their drinking successfully. Craving is often a target of pharmacological and behavioral interventions for AUD, and reductions in craving may signal recovery. Whether reductions in drinking during AUD treatment are associated with reductions in craving has not been well examined. Methods: We conducted secondary analyses of data from three AUD clinical trials (N's= 1327, 346, and 200). Drinking reductions from baseline to the end of treatment were measured as changes in World Health Organization (WHO) risk drinking levels; alcohol craving was measured using validated self‐report measures. Regression analyses tested whether drinking reductions were associated with end‐of‐treatment craving reductions; moderation analyses tested whether associations between drinking reduction and end‐of‐treatment craving differed across AUD severity. Results: Reductions of at least 1 or at least 2 WHO risk drinking levels were associated with lower craving (all p's < 0.05). Results were substantively similar after removing abstainers at the end‐of‐treatment. Associations between drinking reductions and craving were generally not moderated by AUD severity. Conclusions: Individuals with WHO risk drinking level reductions reported significantly lower craving, as compared to those who did not achieve meaningful reductions in drinking. The results demonstrate the utility of WHO risk drinking levels as AUD clinical trial endpoints and provide evidence that drinking reductions mitigate craving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Controlled drinking (CD) is an attractive treatment goal for a large proportion of individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD), but the availability of treatment methods supporting a goal of CD is scarce. We tested if behavioural self‐control training (BSCT) was superior to motivational enhancement therapy (MET) for individuals with AUD with a treatment goal of CD. Design: Randomized controlled two‐group trial. Follow‐ups were conducted at 12 and 26 weeks (primary end‐point) after inclusion. Setting: Three specialized dependency care clinics in Stockholm, Sweden. Participants: Two hundred and fifty self‐referred adults (52% men) fulfilling criteria of AUD (DSM‐5) and a stated treatment goal of CD. Intervention and comparator: BSCT (n = 125), a five‐session treatment based on cognitive behavioural therapy versus the active comparator, MET (n = 125), containing four sessions based on Motivational Interviewing. Measurements Primary outcome measure was mean weekly alcohol consumption at the 26‐week follow‐up, adjusted for baseline consumption. Conclusions: A randomized controlled trial found no evidence of a difference between behavioural self‐control training and motivational enhancement therapy in reducing weekly alcohol consumption. Both groups substantially reduced consumption and behavioural self‐control training was superior in reducing hazardous drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background ETHER (“Education THEérapeutique pour la Réduction des dommages en alcoologie” or Therapeutic education for alcohol-related harm reduction) is a multicentre community-based mixed-methods study, which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the innovative therapeutic patient education (TPE) programme ‘Choizitaconso’ in a sample of French people with alcohol use disorder (people with AUD). Choizitaconso teaches people with AUD psychosocial skills to help them (re)establish controlled drinking and reduce alcohol-related harms. Recruitment started in October 2019. We present here the protocol of the ETHER study. Methods ETHER’s quantitative component involves a 6-month controlled intervention study which evaluates Choizitaconso’s effectiveness by comparing 30 people with AUD following the programme with a control group of 60 people with AUD not enrolled in it, using a questionnaire co-constructed by the research team and members of the people with AUD community. Thirty-four alcohol-related harms are assessed and summed to provide an individual measure of the ‘harm burden’ from consuming alcohol (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes are anticipated and internalized stigma, alcohol consumption measures, craving for alcohol, coping strategies, health-related quality of life, self-confidence to control or abstain from drinking, treatment self-regulation, anxiety and depressive symptoms, alcohol-related neuropsychological impairments, and capabilities (a measure of wellbeing in adults). Data will be collected in face-to-face and phone-based interviews at enrolment and 6 months later. Linear regression models will be used to assess the impact of the TPE programme on changes in the primary and secondary outcomes, while adjusting for other correlates and confounders. The study’s qualitative component comprises semi-structured interviews with 16 people with AUD who have already completed the TPE programme at least 6 months before the interview. Qualitative interviews will be analysed using thematic analysis. Results and conclusions ETHER is the first evaluation study of an innovative TPE programme specifically designed to reduce alcohol-related harms and reach controlled drinking in France. The involvement of the people with AUD community in selecting which experienced and perceived alcohol-related harms to measure ensures that ETHER will provide healthcare staff and researchers with a relevant set of harm reduction criteria for use in future research. Finally, ETHER will provide scientific justification for implementing novel alcohol-related harm reduction approaches and champion controlled drinking as a therapeutic goal. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03954054. Registered 17 May 2019—Prospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03954054?cond=alcohol&cntry=FR&city=Marseille&draw=1&rank=1 .

Background: Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a specific marker of alcohol intake, used both as a screening method for hazardous use and as an outcome measure in the treatment of alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, what cut-off values to apply for hazardous use in a treatment setting is still unclear. We aimed to investigate the correlation between PEth and self-reported drinking and identify the optimal cut-off for hazardous use, for patients with AUD and a stated goal of controlled drinking., Methods: We used data from a randomized controlled trial of two different psychological treatments aiming for controlled drinking, conducted within specialized addiction care in Stockholm, Sweden. A total of 181 patients left samples that could be included in the current analysis. Outcomes were measured at five different time points over 2 years of follow-up. PEth 16:0/18:1 values were correlated with subjective reports of recent drinking based on the Timeline Follow-Back Method., Results: The correlation between PEth and self-reported alcohol intake increased significantly over time, with the weakest correlation found at baseline (Spearman's ρ = 0.42) and the strongest at the 104-week follow-up (ρ = 0.69). When used to indicate hazardous drinking according to Swedish guidelines (≥10 units per week), receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed PEth ≥ 0.22 μmol/l to be the optimal cut-off., Conclusions: PEth is a useful outcome measure that can be used to validate subjective reports of current drinking. In a treatment setting aimed at controlled drinking, the accuracy of patients' self-report measures seems to improve over time. In this context, a PEth value of ≥0.22 μmol/l is a sensitive and specific indicator of hazardous drinking., (© The Author(s) 2024. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press.)

Background: ETHER ("Education THEérapeutique pour la Réduction des dommages en alcoologie" or Therapeutic education for alcohol-related harm reduction) is a multicentre community-based mixed-methods study, which aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the innovative therapeutic patient education (TPE) programme 'Choizitaconso' in a sample of French people with alcohol use disorder (people with AUD). Choizitaconso teaches people with AUD psychosocial skills to help them (re)establish controlled drinking and reduce alcohol-related harms. Recruitment started in October 2019. We present here the protocol of the ETHER study. Methods: ETHER's quantitative component involves a 6-month controlled intervention study which evaluates Choizitaconso's effectiveness by comparing 30 people with AUD following the programme with a control group of 60 people with AUD not enrolled in it, using a questionnaire co-constructed by the research team and members of the people with AUD community. Thirty-four alcohol-related harms are assessed and summed to provide an individual measure of the 'harm burden' from consuming alcohol (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes are anticipated and internalized stigma, alcohol consumption measures, craving for alcohol, coping strategies, health-related quality of life, self-confidence to control or abstain from drinking, treatment self-regulation, anxiety and depressive symptoms, alcohol-related neuropsychological impairments, and capabilities (a measure of wellbeing in adults). Data will be collected in face-to-face and phone-based interviews at enrolment and 6 months later. Linear regression models will be used to assess the impact of the TPE programme on changes in the primary and secondary outcomes, while adjusting for other correlates and confounders. The study's qualitative component comprises semi-structured interviews with 16 people with AUD who have already completed the TPE programme at least 6 months before the interview. Qualitative interviews will be analysed using thematic analysis. Results and conclusions: ETHER is the first evaluation study of an innovative TPE programme specifically designed to reduce alcohol-related harms and reach controlled drinking in France. The involvement of the people with AUD community in selecting which experienced and perceived alcohol-related harms to measure ensures that ETHER will provide healthcare staff and researchers with a relevant set of harm reduction criteria for use in future research. Finally, ETHER will provide scientific justification for implementing novel alcohol-related harm reduction approaches and champion controlled drinking as a therapeutic goal. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03954054. Registered 17 May 2019—Prospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03954054?cond=alcohol&cntry=FR&city=Marseille&draw=1&rank=1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS) is used to identify the overuse and dependence on alcohol taking into account the assessment of the severity of currently existing alcohol problems. So far, there has been no cultural adaptation of the ADS scale carried out in Poland. The ADS scale can be a useful tool in the social rehabilitation process and in modifying drinking patterns in general. Objective: The objective of the study was to culturally adapt the ADS and elaborate its norms. Method: The study was conducted in a group of 708 persons (F: 49%). The average age of the respondents was 35.5 years (SD = 13.72, <18.81>). The tool was translated according to the norms of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Quality of Life Special Interest group. Criterion validity and reliability were assessed and norms were established. Results: The validity was assessed by correlating ADS results with AUDIT (r = 0.86, p < 0.01). The total Cronbach's alpha value was 0.94. The ROC analysis demonstrated sensitivity and specificity ranging from 0.79 for Psychoperceptual and Psychophysiological Withdrawal Symptoms to 0.81 for aggregate results. Specificity ranged from 0.55 for Psychoperceptual and Psychophysiological Withdrawal Symptoms to 0.64 for Compulsive Drinking and the whole. Due to gender differences, standards for women and men were developed for the total and individual areas. Conclusions: High validity and reliability of the questionnaire was obtained. ADS is a tool that may be used in clinical practice in Polish conditions. High sensitivity and satisfactory specificity allows for using the questionnaire to select the optimal goals of the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While accumulating evidence suggests a relation between the severity of alcohol dependence and the risk of its recurrence, the impact of dependence severity on the course of the disorder has not been carefully evaluated. The present study examined the impact of several severity indices of alcohol dependence on the drinking course after inpatient treatment. Methods: This prospective study was conducted over a 12‐month period following alcohol treatment at a specialized hospital. A total of 712 consecutively admitted alcohol‐dependent patients were targeted for enrollment at the time of their hospitalization, with 637 patients registered and followed. The characteristics and severity of the subjects were assessed using multiple methods at admission, with their course after discharge followed continuously using mailed questionnaires that queried them regarding their drinking behavior. Results: Greater severity of dependence, assessed using the number of ICD‐10 diagnostic criteria met, was associated with a lower rate of abstinence during the study period (p = 0.035). The rate of abstinence also decreased significantly as the baseline blood gamma‐glutamyl transferase value and Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS) score increased (p = 0.031 and p = 0.0002, respectively). In multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses, the group with the most severe ADS scores had a significantly greater risk of relapse to drinking than the group with the least severe scores (HR = 2.67, p = 0.001). Dependence severity also associated with the drinking pattern; participants in both the controlled drinking group and the abstinence group had lower ADS scores at admission and a later age at first drinking (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively) than those with poorer drinking outcomes. Conclusions: The present study showed that more severe alcohol dependence predicts a poorer course after alcohol treatment, as reflected by findings on multiple measures. These results suggest that assessing the dependence severity at the outset of treatment could be useful both in predicting treatment outcome and targeting interventions to alcohol‐dependent individuals who need additional support in their recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The proportion of untreated patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) exceeds that of any other mental health disorder, and treatment alternatives are needed. A widely discussed strategy is to depart from the abstinence paradigm as part of controlled drinking approaches. This first systematic review with meta‐analysis aims to assess the efficacy of non‐abstinent treatment strategies compared with abstinence‐based strategies. Methods: CENTRAL, PubMed, PsycINFO and Embase databases were searched until February 2019 for controlled (randomized and non‐randomized) clinical trials (RCTs and non‐RCTs) among adult AUD populations, including an intervention group aiming at controlled drinking and a control group aiming for abstinence. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) and Cochrane Collaboration guidelines, literature search, data collection and risk of bias assessment were carried out independently by two reviewers [International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), registration no. CRD42019128716]. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants consuming alcohol at or below the recommended threshold. Secondary outcomes were social functioning, drinking reductions, abstinence rates and dropouts. Using random‐effects models, RCTs and non‐RCTs were analyzed separately. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses accounted for methodological rigor, inclusion of goal‐specific treatment, length of follow‐up and AUD severity. Results: Twenty‐two studies (including five RCTs) with 4204 patients were selected. There was no statistically significant difference between both treatment paradigms in RCTs [odds ratio (OR) = 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.51–3.39]. Non‐randomized studies of free goal choice favored abstinence‐orientation (OR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.40–0.90), unless goal‐specific treatment was provided (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.40–1.56), or in studies of low risk of bias (OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.49–1.09) or with long follow‐up (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 0.78–2.85). Effect sizes were not clearly dependent upon AUD severity. Abstinence‐ and controlled drinking interventions did not clearly differ in their effect on social functioning and drinking reductions. Conclusions: Available evidence does not support abstinence as the only approach in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Controlled drinking, particularly if supported by specific psychotherapy, appears to be a viable option where an abstinence‐oriented approach is not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Alcohol use disorder is a common and devastating mental illness for which satisfactory treatments are still lacking. Nalmefene, as an opioid receptor modulator, could pharmacologically support the reduction of drinking by reducing the (anticipated) rewarding effects of alcohol and expanding the range of treatment options. It has been hypothesized that nalmefene acts via an indirect modulation of the mesolimbic reward system. So far, only a few imaging findings on the neuronal response to nalmefene are available. Objectives: We tested the effect of a single dose of 18 mg nalmefene on neuronal cue-reactivity in the ventral and dorsal striatum and subjective craving. Methods: Eighteen non-treatment-seeking participants with alcohol use disorder (67% male, M = 50.3 ± 13.9 years) with a current high-risk drinking level (M = 76.9 ± 52 g of pure alcohol per day) were investigated using a cue-reactivity task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study/design. In addition, self-reported craving was assessed before and after exposure to alcohol cues. Results: An a priori defined region of interest (ROI) analysis of fMRI data from 15 participants revealed that nalmefene reduced alcohol cue-reactivity in the ventral, but not the dorsal striatum. Additionally, the subjective craving was significantly reduced after the cue-reactivity task under nalmefene compared to placebo. Conclusion: In the present study, reduced craving and cue-reactivity to alcohol stimuli in the ventral striatum by nalmefene indicates a potential anti-craving effect of this drug via attenuation of neural alcohol cue-reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMS OF THE STUDY Controlled drinking as a therapy goal for problematic alcohol use is still a matter for debate, especially with regard to dependent drinkers. Furthermore, few structured controlled drinking programmes have been evaluated. The aim of this study was to observe the evolution of excessive and dependent drinkers in a French-language six-step controlled drinking programme called “Alcochoix+”. METHODS This was a cohort study of patients in four centres in the French-speaking part of Switzerland who were enrolled between May 2010 and September 2011, and evaluated before and up to 1 year after completion of the programme, according to criteria such as drinking habits, evolution of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) score and quality of life indicators. We considered the patients who chose not to be followed up to have unchanged alcohol consumption. RESULTS Recruitment was slow: 60 persons were enrolled, mostly middle-aged men, with excessive alcohol use / moderate alcohol dependence (median AUDIT score 20.5, median weekly alcohol consumption 350 g). Thirty-four participants (56.7%) completed the programme and their median weekly alcohol reduction was 160 g. The mean AUDIT score decreased to 14.1 points. Several aspects of quality of life improved. Changes were stable 1 year after the programme. Expressed satisfaction with the programme was high. CONCLUSIONS This six-step structured controlled drinking programme designed for excessive drinkers also attracted moderately dependent drinkers. Those who had participated fully in the study significantly reduced their alcohol consumption, with a slight improvement in their quality of life. Future studies should identify the barriers to problem drinkers integrating controlled drinking programmes, and to underline the role of these programmes for moderately dependent drinkers.

Alcohol use disorders (AUD) is a major public health concern. General practitioners (GP) must play a key role in identifying this disorder and offering appropriate interventions. The authors conducted a survey among French GP in the Provence - Alpes - Côte-d'Azur (PACA) region to better understand their practices regarding AUD. Random sampling was used to enrol 101 GP in a 15-minute survey. A Computer-Assisted Telephone Interview exploring demographic and professional characteristics was conducted using a questionnaire. One third (31.7%) of the participants systematically addressed alcohol use with their patients whereas six (5.9%) never addressed it. Logistic regression analyses showed that after adjustment for the number of AUD patients followed up (odds ratio [OR] = 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.19, 3.08]) and GP interest in addiction medicine (5.41 [2.17, 13.40]), GP who systematically screened patients for AUD were more likely to accept controlled drinking as a therapeutic goal (5.41 [2.17, 13.33]), and to perceive patient denial of AUD as a major barrier to care (1.39 [0.60, 3.22]). GP providing care for AUD were more likely to monitor tobacco cessation (9.08 [2.60, 31.64]) and to prescribe opioid maintenance treatment (7.35 [2.52, 21.41]). Alcohol screening is insufficient in general practice in France. Providing updated guidelines is essential to foster experience in this field among GP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background and Aims: Pharmacologically controlled drinking in the treatment of alcohol dependence or alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is an emerging concept. Our objective was to explore the comparative effectiveness of drugs used in this indication. Design: Systematic review with direct and network meta‐analysis of double‐blind randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy of nalmefene, naltrexone, acamprosate, baclofen or topiramate in non‐abstinent adults diagnosed with alcohol dependence or AUDs. Two independent reviewers selected published and unpublished studies on Medline, the Cochrane Library, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, contacted pharmaceutical companies, the European Medicines Agency and the Food and Drug Administration, and extracted data. Setting: Thirty‐two RCTs. Participants: A total of 6036 patients. Measurements: The primary outcome was total alcohol consumption (TAC). Other consumption outcomes and health outcomes were considered as secondary outcomes. Findings: No study provided direct comparisons between drugs. A risk of incomplete outcome data was identified in 26 studies (81%) and risk of selective outcome reporting in 17 (53%). Nalmefene [standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.29, –0.10; I2 = 0%], baclofen (SMD = −1.00, 95% CI = −1.80, −0.19; one study) and topiramate (SMD = −0.77, 95% CI = −1.12, –0.42; I2 = 0%) showed superiority over placebo on TAC. No efficacy was observed for naltrexone or acamprosate. Similar results were observed for other consumption outcomes, except for baclofen (the favourable outcome on TAC was not reproduced). The number of withdrawals for safety reasons increased under nalmefene and naltrexone. No treatment demonstrated any harm reduction (no study was powered to explore health outcomes). Indirect comparisons suggested that topiramate was superior to nalmefene, naltrexone and acamprosate on consumption outcomes, but its safety profile is known to be poor. Conclusions: There is currently no high‐grade evidence for pharmacological treatment to control drinking using nalmefene, naltrexone, acamprosate, baclofen or topiramate in patients with alcohol dependence or alcohol use disorder. Some treatments show low to medium efficacy in reducing drinking across a range of studies with a high risk of bias. None demonstrates any benefit on health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social cognitive theory suggests when individuals select their own goals, they work harder to achieve them and experience increases in self-efficacy. Research in adults with alcohol use disorder supports the utility of treatment goal choice in predicting longitudinal outcomes; a total abstinence (TA) goal choice has been associated with better clinical outcomes versus a controlled use goal choice. Research on goal choice in adolescent substance users has not been reported. Data from 110 adolescents were collected upon admission to outpatient substance use disorder treatment. Hierarchical linear regressions tested baseline goal choice as a predictor of drinking outcomes at 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-ups. Goal choice significantly predicted drinking outcomes at 12-month follow-up, but not at 6- or 24-month time points; TA was associated with better clinical outcomes. These findings suggest that goal choice may have clinical utility as a predictor of alcohol use disorder clinical course in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background and aims There is evidence that low-risk drinking is possible during the course of alcohol treatment and can be maintained following treatment. Our aim was to identify characteristics associated with low-risk drinking during treatment in a large sample of individuals as they received treatment for alcohol dependence. Design Integrated analysis of data from the Combined Pharmacotherapies and Behavioral Intervention (COMBINE) study, Project MATCH (Matching Alcoholism Treatments to Client Heterogeneity) and the United Kingdom Alcohol Treatment Trial (UKATT) using repeated-measures latent class analysis to identify patterns of drinking and predictors of low-risk drinking patterns during treatment. Setting United States and United Kingdom. Participants Patients ( n = 3589) with alcohol dependence receiving treatment in an alcohol clinical trial were primarily male (73.0%), white (82.0%) and non-married (41.7%), with an average age of 42.0 (standard deviation = 10.7). Measurements Self-reported weekly alcohol consumption during treatment was assessed using the Form-90 and validated with biological verification or collateral informants. Findings Seven patterns of drinking during treatment were identified: persistent heavy drinking (18.7% of the sample), increasing heavy drinking (9.6%), heavy and low-risk drinking (6.7%), heavy drinking alternating with abstinence (7.9%), low-risk drinking (6.8%), increasing low-risk drinking (10.5%) and abstinence (39.8%). Lower alcohol dependence severity and fewer drinks per day at baseline significantly predicted low-risk drinking patterns [e.g. each additional drink prior to baseline predicted a 27% increase in the odds of expected classification in heavy drinking versus low-risk drinking patterns; odds ratio = 1.27 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.10, 1.47, P = 0.002]. Greater negative mood and more heavy drinkers in the social network were significant predictors of expected membership in heavier drinking patterns. Conclusions Low-risk drinking is achievable for some individuals as they undergo treatment for alcohol dependence. Individuals with lower dependence severity, less baseline drinking, fewer negative mood symptoms and fewer heavy drinkers in their social networks have a higher probability of achieving low-risk drinking during treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstinence from alcohol has been the prevailing treatment goal for individuals with alcohol dependence (AD) within the context of specialty alcohol treatment. Yet, alcohol use has been conceptualized as existing on a continuum. Importantly, most people who meet criteria for AD and could benefit from treatment never receive treatment. About half of these individuals do not seek treatment because they report a desire to continue drinking. To increase acceptability of treatment, reductions in alcohol consumption have been examined as alternative outcomes in treatment trials for AD. The current study reviews data which indicate that long-term reduction in alcohol consumption among patients with AD is possible. Controlled studies have tested reduced alcohol consumption and show sustained improvements in drinking reductions for many patients following behavioral treatments and pharmacotherapy. Evidence-based treatment guidelines and medicines development guidance authorities have taken note of these developments and accept "intermediate harm reduction" (European Medicines Agency) or "low-risk drinking limits" (US Federal Drug Administration) as optional trial endpoints. In conclusion, while abstinence remains the safest treatment goal for individuals with AD, evidence supports that reduced drinking approaches may be an important extension in the treatment of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The study presented here sheds light on factors promoting or impeding change in the Polish treatment system, by focusing on the specific case of reduced risk drinking (RRD) as treatment objective and modality. More specifically, treatment providers’ perceptions of implementation, barriers and potential chances of adoption of RRD in practice were explored. Method:The 26 alcohol addiction professionals working in 13 outpatient facilities in different parts of Poland took part in four focus group interviews conducted from June to August 2015. The computer assisted qualitative data analysis followed an inductive–deductive procedure. Initially, the transcripts were inductively coded ‘sentence by sentence’ in order to capture the meaning of data. Afterwards, the codes were linked with the deductive, theoretical categories. Results:In their assessment addiction therapists drew upon their individual experience and organizational context, but also stressed system and societal aspects. Five types of barriers to the adoption of RRD programs emerged from the qualitative data analysis: (a) Potential conflicts between RRD and abstinence-oriented programs; (b) Professional routines and paradigms; (c) Information deficits and knowledge requirements; (d) Feasibility and implementation problems and (e) Evaluation issues. Conclusions:The typology of barriers to reduced risk drinking identified among treatment providers will inform policy efforts to plan changes and to anticipate dynamics within the addiction treatment systems more successfully and reduce the treatment gap. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

INTRODUCTION - Parents are often warned about the negative consequences of drinking alcohol in the presence of their children, while surveys indicate that children fairly often see their parents drink and also being drunk. We applied a mixed method approach to explore attitudes towards parents' drinking in the presence of their children, using (1) survey and (2) focus group data. In the analysis of the focus group data, we also addressed which consequences of parents' drinking the participants emphasised, and how they reasoned for their opinions. The results were merged in order to compare, contrast and synthesise the findings from both data sets. METHODS - The data stem from a web survey among 18-69-year-old Norwegians (Study 1, N=2171) and from focus group interviews with 15-16-year-olds and parents of teenagers (Study 2, 8 groups, N=42). RESULTS - In both data sets, drinking moderately in the presence of children was mostly accepted, but attitudes became more restrictive with an increased drinking frequency and with visible signs of intoxication. The results from Study 2 showed also that definitions of moderation varied and that the participants used contextual factors such as atmosphere and occasion to define when drinking was acceptable and when it was not. In reflections on the importance of moderation, they emphasised parental responsibility for the family as a unit and parents' immoderate drinking as posing a risk to children's safety. The participants also underlined the importance of parental drinking in the alcohol socialisation process. CONCLUSION - Parents' drinking in the presence of children was generally accepted as long as the drinking was moderate. The focus group data showed that definitions of moderation varied, and that social context also was used to define moderation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report describes a mild, aqueous-phase strategy that enables stereoretentive C-H activation at sp3 C-H sites bearing amine or alcohol groups. The transformation utilizes D2O to replace the hydrogen with deuterium while retaining stereochemistry. Electroactivated ruthenium particles, which are supported by an activated carbon cloth (Ru/ACC), catalyze this reaction on a timescale of minutes to hours. This yields optimal results at low current density and mild temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite common wisdom that reducing alcohol intake will facilitate weight loss, little research has examined whether participants in behavioral weight loss treatments actually decrease their alcohol intake, or whether reduced alcohol intake relates to weight loss outcomes in this context. This study examined the relationship of alcohol use to energy intake excluding alcohol and to weight in 283 overweight and obese adults participating in a 26-session behavioral weight loss treatment. The majority of participants consumed low to moderate levels of alcohol at baseline. Participants who consumed alcohol at baseline meaningfully reduced their alcohol intake by end-of-treatment. Alcohol use did not relate to weight at baseline or end-of-treatment when controlling for relevant demographic variables, and change in alcohol use was unrelated to weight change in the overall sample during treatment. However, end-of-treatment alcohol intake did relate to end-of-treatment energy intake excluding alcohol. In addition, behavioral impulsivity and change in alcohol intake interacted to predict weight loss, such that decreases in alcohol intake were associated with greater percent weight loss at end-of-treatment for participants with higher levels of impulsivity. Alcohol consumption may lead to overeating episodes, and highly impulsive individuals may be at risk for increased energy intake during or after episodes of drinking. Therefore, the recommendation to reduce alcohol intake in the context of behavioral weight loss treatment seems warranted, particularly for individuals with high levels of impulsivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]