A randomized prospective study of 625 drug addicts on methadone
maintenance revealed that 105 (17%) were active alcoholics, 47 (8%) were
inactive alcoholics, and 473 (76%) were not alcoholics. The active
alcoholics were randomly assigned to abstinence therapy, controlled
drinking with behavior modification, or a control group receiving the usual
clinic services. There were no differences between treatment and control
groups at baseline and during follow-up of up to 2 1/2 years, and there was
no relation between remission and treatment, suggesting that the
effectiveness of currently employed specific interventions for alcoholism
in active alcoholic addicts maintained on methadone cannot be
demonstrated.
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