Agomelatine is effective in reducing insomnia in abstinent alcohol-dependent patients.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Sleep disorders are a widespread, persistent problem among alcohol-dependent patients and have been implicated in an increased risk for alcohol relapse. The melatonin-agonist agomelatine has been shown to improve overall sleep quality without daytime sedation.

METHODS:

In an off-label therapeutic setting, 9 alcohol-dependent patients with chronic sleep disorders received nightly doses of between 25 and 50 mg of agomelatine.

RESULTS:

After 6 weeks of agomelatine treatment, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global score for all patients had decreased significantly from a mean (SD) of 13.1 (1.7) to 7.8 (1.7) (t = 12.8; P = 0.00).

CONCLUSIONS:

Agomelatine is a preparation that is not prone to abuse. The current pilot investigation shows that agomelatine might offer the prospect of becoming a valuable addition to the pharmacological repertoire for the treatment of alcohol-dependence-associated insomnia.

• Authors: Martin Grosshans, Jochen Mutschler, Mathias Luderer, Karl Mann, Falk Kiefer
• Journal: Clinical neuropharmacology (Clin Neuropharmacol) 2014 Jan-Feb Vol. 37 Issue 1 Pg. 6-8 ISSN: 1537-162X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24434525 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Acetamides
• Hypnotics and Sedatives
• agomelatine

Topics

• Acetamides (therapeutic use)
• Adult
• Aged
• Alcoholism (complications, drug therapy)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Humans
• Hypnotics and Sedatives (therapeutic use)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological (chemically induced)
• Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders (drug therapy, etiology)
• Weight Gain (drug effects)