Placebo-controlled study of sertraline in depressed recently abstinent alcoholics

Background: Depression is common among recently abstinent alcoholics; however, its treatment has been little studied. Methods: Thirty-six depressed recently abstinent alcoholics were randomized in a 6-week double-blind placebo-controlled trial of sertraline 100 mg daily. Results: There was a significant group × time interaction for both the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). For the HDRS there were significant differences between the sertraline and placebo groups at weeks 3 and 6 and for the BDI at week 3. Also, patients receiving sertraline had significantly lower mean posttreatment HDRS and BDI scores than patients receiving placebo. Furthermore, significantly more of the patients receiving sertraline obtained a Clinical Global Impression rating of “very much improved.” Conclusions: Depressed recently abstinent alcoholics benefit from antidepressant medication.