Objective: The authors sought to determine the efficacy of targeted naltrexone in sexual and gender minority men (SGM) who binge drink and have mild to moderate alcohol use disorder.
Methods: In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial, a total of 120 SGM who binge drink and have mild to moderate alcohol use disorder were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive targeted oral naltrexone (50 mg) or placebo with weekly counseling for 12 weeks. The study's primary endpoints were binge-drinking intensity, defined as 1) number of drinks in the past 30 days; 2) any binge drinking in the past week; 3) number of binge-drinking days in the past week; and 4) number of drinking days in the past week. The study also measured changes in alcohol use with two alcohol biomarker measures: ethyl glucuronide in urine samples and phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in dried blood spot samples.
Results: Ninety-three percent completed the trial, with 85% of weekly follow-up visits completed. In intention-to-treat analyses, naltrexone was associated with a significantly reduced reported number of binge-drinking days (incidence rate ratio [IRR]=0.74, 95% CI=0.56, 0.98; number needed to treat [NNT]=2), weeks with any binge drinking (IRR=0.83, 95% CI=0.72, 0.96; NNT=7.4), number of drinks per month (IRR=0.69, 95% CI=0.52, 0.91; NNT=5.7 for 10 drinks), and alcohol craving scores (coefficient=-9.25, 95% CI=-17.20, -1.31). In as-treated analyses among those who took their medication on average at least 2.5 days per week (the median frequency in the study), naltrexone reduced any binge drinking (IRR=0.84, 95% CI=0.71, 0.99), number of binge-drinking days (IRR=0.67, 95% CI=0.47, 0.96), and PEth concentrations (coefficient=-55.47, 95% CI=-110.75, -0.20). At 6 months posttreatment, naltrexone had sustained effects in number of drinks per month (IRR=0.69, 95% CI=0.50, 0.97), number of binge-drinking days (IRR=0.67, 95% CI=0.47, 0.95), and any binge drinking in the past week (IRR=0.79, 95% CI=0.63, 0.99).
Conclusions: Targeted naltrexone significantly reduced drinking outcomes among SGM with mild to moderate alcohol use disorder during treatment, with sustained effects at 6 months posttreatment. Naltrexone may be an important pharmacotherapy to address binge drinking in populations with mild to moderate alcohol use disorder.
Keywords: AIDS/HIV; Alcohol; Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender (LGBT) Issues; Medication-Assisted Treatment; Pharmacotherapy; Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders.