Effect of antidepressants for cessation therapy in betel-quid use disorder: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
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ABSTRACT: AIMS:More than one-half of betel-quid (BQ) chewers have betel-quid use disorder (BUD). However, no medication has been approved. We performed a randomised clinical trial to test the efficacy of taking escitalopram and moclobemide antidepressants on betel-quid chewing cessation (BQ-CC) treatment. METHODS:We enrolled 111 eligible male BUD patients. They were double-blinded, placebo-controlled and randomised into three treatment groups: escitalopram 10 mg/tab daily, moclobemide 150 mg/tab daily and placebo. Patients were followed-up every 2 weeks and the length of the trial was 8 weeks. The primary outcome was BQ-CC, defined as BUD patients who continuously stopped BQ use for ?6 weeks. The secondary outcomes were the frequency and amount of BQ intake, and two psychological rating scales. Several clinical adverse effects were measured during the 8-week treatment. RESULTS:Intention-to-treat analysis shows that after 8 weeks, two (5.4%), 13 (34.2%) and 12 (33.3%) of BUD patients continuously quit BQ chewing for ?6 weeks among placebo, escitalopram, moclobemide groups, respectively. The adjusted proportion ratio of BQ-CC was 6.3 (95% CI 1.5-26.1) and 6.8 (95% CI 1.6-28.0) for BUD patients who used escitalopram and moclobemide, respectively, as compared with those who used placebo. BUD patients with escitalopram and moclobemide treatments both exhibited a significantly lower frequency and amount of BQ intake at the 8th week than those with placebo. CONCLUSIONS:Prescribing a fixed dose of moclobemide and escitalopram to BUD patients over 8 weeks demonstrated treatment benefits to BQ-CC. Given a relatively small sample, this study provides preliminary evidence and requires replication in larger trials.
SUBMITTER: Hung CC
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7216045 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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