@article{ref1,
title="Randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of dutasteride for reducing heavy drinking in men",
journal="Journal of clinical psychopharmacology",
year="2024",
author="Covault, Jonathan and Tennen, Howard and Feinn, Richard",
volume="44",
number="3",
pages="223-231",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Prior studies indicate that neuroactive steroids mediate some of alcohol's effects. Dutasteride, widely used to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy, is an inhibitor of 5-alpha reductase enzymes, which play a central role in the production of 5α-reduced neuroactive steroids. The purpose of this study was to test dutasteride's tolerability and efficacy for reducing drinking. <br><br>METHODS: Men (n = 142) with heavy drinking (>24 drinks per week) and a goal to either stop or reduce drinking to nonhazardous levels were randomized to placebo or 1 mg dutasteride daily for 12 weeks. We hypothesized that dutasteride-treated patients would be more successful in reducing drinking. <br><br>RESULTS: Generalized linear mixed models that included baseline drinking, treatment, time and their 2-way interaction identified significant interactions of treatment-time, such that dutasteride treatment reduced drinking more than placebo. During the last month of treatment, 25% of dutasteride-treated participants had no hazardous drinking (no heavy drinking days and not more than 14 drinks per week) compared with 6% of placebo-treated participants (P = 0.006; NNT = 6). Sensitivity analysis identified baseline drinking to cope as a factor associated with larger reductions in drinking for dutasteride compared with placebo-treated participants. Dutasteride was well tolerated. Adverse events more common in the dutasteride group were stomach discomfort and reduced libido. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Dutasteride 1 mg daily was efficacious in reducing the number of heavy drinking days and drinks per week in treatment-seeking men. The benefit of dutasteride compared with placebo was greatest for participants with elevated baseline drinking to cope motives.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0271-0749",
doi="10.1097/JCP.0000000000001849",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JCP.0000000000001849"
}