Efficacy and Safety of Levetiracetam in the Inpatient Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

NCT ID: NCT00146471

Last Updated: 2009-12-30

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

120 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2006-01-31

Study Completion Date

2007-09-30

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of levetiracetam for treating alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) in inpatients (vs. placebo). The primary come-out parameter is the reduction of the total needed amount of diazepam for add-on treatment of acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms. The secondary come-out parameter are - safety criteria (AE) - reduction of alcohol withdrawal score over the days.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Keywords

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alcohol withdrawal detoxification Inpatients alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV/ICD-10 withdrawal symptoms

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators

Study Groups

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2

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Levetiracetam

Intervention Type DRUG

1500-2000 mg daily add-on or Placebo Diazepam as needed

1: Diazepam plus Placebo

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Placebo

Intervention Type DRUG

1500-2000 mg daily add-on or Placebo Diazepam as needed

Interventions

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Levetiracetam

1500-2000 mg daily add-on or Placebo Diazepam as needed

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo

1500-2000 mg daily add-on or Placebo Diazepam as needed

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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KEPPRA

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Ages eligible for study: 18-65 years.
* Meets criteria for alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV/ICD-10
* Known withdrawal symptoms in the past in case of discontinuation of alcohol consumption
* Hospital admission for alcohol detoxification
* Able to provide a written informed consent.
* Able to follow verbal and written instructions (incl. a sufficient knowledge of German language).
* Must be medically acceptable for study treatment. No past or present physical disorder that is likely to deteriorate during participation. No ECG abnormality which would likely worsen during participation and no clinical laboratory abnormality that would also suggest deterioration during treatment.
* Have a negative urine drug screen for benzodiazepines or heroine or methadone

Exclusion Criteria

* Current diagnosis of any other substance dependence syndrome other than alcohol dependence (excluding nicotine and caffeine dependence).
* History of idiopathic epilepsy.
* Patient with any current clinically significant psychiatric disorder (acute suiciality) or developmental disorder (including organic mental disorder), like psychotic disorders.
* Patients with the following complications of alcoholism (lifetime): acute delirium tremens, hallucinatory alcoholic state, Korsakoff's syndrome, Wernicke encephalopathy, decomposed liver cirrhosis (Child B, C), suspected cirrhosis with the following clinical symptoms detected at clinical exam: signs of portal hypertension and signs of hepato-cellular failure, thrombocytopenia.
* Subjects with known sensitivity of previous adverse reaction to levetiracetam
* Contra-indication (hypersensitivity to levetiracetam or pyrrolidone derivatives) or known non-response to levetiracetam.
* History of severe GI disease which might render absorption of the medication difficult or produce medical instability of the patient which would include active peptic ulcer disease, ulcerative colitis, regional colitis, or evidence by history or physical exam of GI bleeding.
* Patients with any clinically significant acute or chronic progressive neurological, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, haematological, endocrine, dermatological or respiratory disease, such as diabetes, severe infection, acute alcoholic hepatitis, or any other medical condition with significant worsening of the clinical situation of the patient that might interfere with the evaluation of study medication.
* Female patients pregnant, breast-feeding or of child bearing age and not protected by effective contraceptive such as implants, injectables, combined oral contraceptives, some IUDS, sexual abstinence, sterilization or vasectomized partner.
* Actually continuous use of pharmacological agents that are known to lower the seizure threshold or augment or decrease the alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
* Subjects with known sensitivity of previous adverse reaction to diazepam or clonidine
* Contra-indication or known non-response to diazepam or clonidine
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Charite University, Berlin, Germany

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Principal Investigators

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Martin Schaefer, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Charité Campus Mitte, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie

Locations

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MLU Halle-Wittenberg

Halle, Sachen/Anhalt, Germany

Site Status

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie

Berlin, State of Berlin, Germany

Site Status

Psychiatrische Klinik der Charité im St.-Hedwig Krankenhaus

Berlin, State of Berlin, Germany

Site Status

Klinik für Psychiatrie und Suchtmedizin, Kliniken Essen Mitte

Essen, , Germany

Site Status

Zentrum für Seelische Gesundheit

Rhede, , Germany

Site Status

Countries

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Germany

References

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Krebs M, Leopold K, Richter C, Kienast T, Hinzpeter A, Heinz A, Schaefer M. Levetiracetam for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome: an open-label pilot trial. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2006 Jun;26(3):347-9. doi: 10.1097/01.jcp.0000219926.49799.89. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 16702910 (View on PubMed)

Richter C, Hinzpeter A, Schmidt F, Kienast T, Preuss UW, Plenge T, Heinz A, Schaefer M. Levetiracetam for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome: a multicenter, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2010 Dec;30(6):720-5. doi: 10.1097/jcp.0b013e3181faf53e.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 21105289 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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Kep-F10.3.01

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id