Am J Psychiatry 1993; 150:963-965
Copyright © 1993 by American Psychiatric Association
Imipramine treatment of alcoholism with comorbid depression
EV Nunes, PJ McGrath, FM Quitkin, JP Stewart, W Harrison, E Tricamo and K Ocepek- Welikson
Depression Evaluation Service, New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY 10032.
Of 60 depressed alcoholics who completed an open trial of imipramine, 27
(45%) responded with improvement in both mood and drinking behavior, and
eight (13%) responded after further dosage increases or treatment with
disulfiram. In a subsequent 6-month, randomized discontinuation trial, four
of 13 subjects (31%) relapsed during imipramine treatment and seven of 10
(70%) relapsed while taking placebo. This suggests a potential treatment
approach for a high-risk subgroup of alcoholics.
