Six-month course and outcome of treatment-seeking individuals with alcohol dependence syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of several pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatments, a significant proportion of patients with alcohol dependence relapse to alcohol use after treatment. The objectives of this study were to determine the 6-month course and outcome in treatment-seeking individuals with alcohol dependence syndrome and to determine the sociodemographic and clinical correlates of the outcome in these patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A longitudinal observational study was conducted in treatment-seeking male patients with alcohol dependence syndrome. Baseline sociodemographic and clinical details were gathered using a structured pro forma. The patients were followed up at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. During the follow-up evaluation, abstinence status, number of abstinent days, and number of heavy drinking days were noted. Logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the factors associated with abstinence at 6 months.

RESULTS: Ninety-four patients were recruited for the study. The mean age of the participants was 43.98 years (standard deviation (SD) 10.68). Two patients were lost to follow-up. At the end of 2 weeks, 74 (80.43%) out of 92 participants remained abstinent. At the end of 1 month and 3 months, 59 (64.13%) and 38 (41.3%) participants of 92 were abstinent, respectively. At the end of 6 months, 26 (30.23%) of 86 patients were abstinent. Among those who were not abstinent at 6 months, the mean number of abstinent days was 113 (SD 51.62) days and the mean number of heavy drinking days was 56 (SD 51.62) days. Outpatients were found to have 2.91 times higher odds of remaining abstinent at 6 months when compared to inpatients.

CONCLUSION: Nearly one-third of treatment-seeking patients with alcohol dependence syndrome remained abstinent at the end of 6 months. The locus of treatment was associated with abstinence at 6 months.