Does the use of alcohol to treat pain affect drinking reduction among women with HIV enrolled in a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of naltrexone?
Abstract
Background: Many women living with HIV (WLWH) experience pain. Alcohol use with the intent to treat pain could lead to hazardous drinking and difficulty in reducing drinking. Naltrexone acts on opioid receptors important for pain regulation and has shown promise in treating alcohol use disorder. In this secondary analysis of a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled naltrexone clinical trial, the goals were to 1) Assess alcohol reduction between those who did and did not drink to treat pain and 2) Further examine differences in alcohol reduction by both drinking intention and treatment arm. Methods: WLWH (N=194, mean age 48.3 years, 83% non-Hispanic Black, 11% Hispanic) with hazardous drinking (>7 drinks/week) were randomized to 50mg naltrexone or placebo for four months. Study visits occurred at baseline, 2-months, 4-months, and 7-months (post-treatment). Drinks/week was measured using Timeline Follow Back. Use of alcohol to treat pain was self-reported. Participants were categorized as using alcohol to treat pain or not and in the naltrexone or placebo group. Chi-square, t-test, MANOVA, and sequential mixed effects models were used to determine group differences in demographic factors, mean/drinks per week, and percent change in mean drinks/week at baseline and each follow-up. Results: There was a consistent decrease in drinking throughout the study. There was not a significant difference in mean drinks/week at any point in the study between those who did and did not…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 194 participants or records.
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