Tailored dose baclofen in patients with alcoholic liver disease: A case series with 2-year follow-up of hospitalisation

Abstract

Introduction: Alcohol addiction is a major health burden with its consequences including liver disease and frequent hospitalisations. We used tailored-dose baclofen in patients with alcoholic liver disease and investigated hospital re-admissions before and after baclofen dose was initiated as well as tolerability and patient-reported alcohol consumption. Methods: Fifty-three hospitalised patients with alcoholic liver disease started tailored dose baclofen (median: 5.05 months, median highest dose before tapering down: 60 mg). Patients were followed-up for hospitalisation data from the health board database (mean hospitalisation follow up: 31 months) and patients were sent standardized questionnaires. Results: Baclofen was generally well tolerated with dose reductions in four patients. In the 2 years after initiation of the treatment, patients spent on an average of 19.1 d in the hospital per year compared to 25.48 d before the treatment initiation (p = 0.59). Respondents (19 patients) reported a reduction in alcohol consumption by an average of 58.7% (240.1 g to 144.09 g). Conclusions: After initiation of the baclofen treatment, there was a trend towards decrease in hospitalisations and in patients who answered the questionnaire, alcohol consumption decreased.

• Alcohol consumption
• alcoholic liver disease
• baclofen
• consequences of drinking
• craving
• hospitalisation

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all the patients and clinical colleagues, for their help with planning, preparing and participating in the study and for their help with the clinical management of the patients. We are also grateful for the entire intellectual and administrative support received from the colleagues from NHS GG&C and the University of Glasgow in particular Prof. John McMurray who has enabled this analysis. We are also grateful to Quintiles Inc for allowing us to use the TSQM questionnaire free of charge.

Declaration of interest

None of the authors have any conflict of interest with regards to the study medication.

We are grateful for the financial support for B.M. from the GG&C Gastroenterology & Liver Fund and for L.C. and A.I. from the University of Glasgow Chancellors Fund.

Supplementary material available online