Valproate-Enhanced Protocols for Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome: A Brief Review and Retrospective Study of Efficacy and the Ability to Reduce Benzodiazepine Use
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Results
2.1. Descriptive Statistics
2.2. Valproate and Benzodiazepine Dosages
2.3. HAM-A Scale
2.4. CIWA-Ar Scale
2.5. Comparison of PO-EV
3. Discussion
4. Materials and Methods
5. Conclusions
Limitations
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
AWS | Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome |
IV | Intravenous |
OS | Oral |
CIWA-Ar | Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol Scale, Revised |
HAM-A | Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale |
DT | Delirium Tremens |
GABA-A | Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptor |
GSK-3β | Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta |
MSSA | Minnesota Substance Abuse Survey |
ASQ | Alcohol Symptom Questionnaire |
GCP | Good Clinical Practice |
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Study | Groups | Scale | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Lambie et al., 1980 [15] | Placebo (n = 27) vs. Valproate (n = 22) | 3 grades of symptoms:
| Faster amelioration of withdrawal symptoms with valproate |
Longo et al., 2002 [15] | Benzodiazepine n = 7) vs. Divalproex Sodium (n = 5) 5 Days vs. Divalproex Sodium 5 Days + 6-Week Maintenance (n = 5) | CIWA-Ar | Greater reduction in CIWA-Ar in valproate groups; Abstinence better maintained in the 6-week valproate maintenance group |
Reoux et al., 2001 [17] | Placebo (n = 18) vs. Valproate (n = 18) | CIWA-Ar | Greater reduction in withdrawal symptoms observed in the valproate group |
Rosenthal et al., 1998 [16] | Phenobarbital (n = NR) vs. Valproate (n = NR) | MSSA; ASQ | No significant difference between the two groups in the improvement in withdrawal symptoms |
Myrick et al., 2000 [18] | Divalproex Sodium + Lorazepam (n = 6) vs. Lorazepam (n = 5) | CIWA-Ar |
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Pardossi, S.; Cuomo, A.; Gualtieri, G.; Pinzi, M.; Piumini, G.; Fagiolini, A. Valproate-Enhanced Protocols for Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome: A Brief Review and Retrospective Study of Efficacy and the Ability to Reduce Benzodiazepine Use. Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18, 855. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18060855
Pardossi S, Cuomo A, Gualtieri G, Pinzi M, Piumini G, Fagiolini A. Valproate-Enhanced Protocols for Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome: A Brief Review and Retrospective Study of Efficacy and the Ability to Reduce Benzodiazepine Use. Pharmaceuticals. 2025; 18(6):855. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18060855
Chicago/Turabian StylePardossi, Simone, Alessandro Cuomo, Giacomo Gualtieri, Mario Pinzi, Giuditta Piumini, and Andrea Fagiolini. 2025. "Valproate-Enhanced Protocols for Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome: A Brief Review and Retrospective Study of Efficacy and the Ability to Reduce Benzodiazepine Use" Pharmaceuticals 18, no. 6: 855. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18060855
APA StylePardossi, S., Cuomo, A., Gualtieri, G., Pinzi, M., Piumini, G., & Fagiolini, A. (2025). Valproate-Enhanced Protocols for Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome: A Brief Review and Retrospective Study of Efficacy and the Ability to Reduce Benzodiazepine Use. Pharmaceuticals, 18(6), 855. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18060855