The use of disulfiram for alcohol-dependent patients and duration of outpatient treatment.

Despite the fact that alcoholism is a severe public health problem of worldwide proportions, only a limited number of medications is used as coadjuvant treatment. The objectives of this study were to analyse the use of disulfiram for alcohol-dependent patients and the immediate interruption of treatment following medication prescription. This is a transversal study of 810 patients who attended the Alcohol and Drug Research Unit (UNIAD) during the 2000-2006 period. The study showed that both male and female patients who had remained under treatment during the first year used proportionally more disulfiram than those who remained for lesser time under treatment, and immediate treatment interruption was statistically more significant in this latter group of patients after prescription of this medication. Although disulfiram is an old medication, it seems that this drug can be useful for keeping alcohol-dependent patients under outpatient treatment.

Sindrome de abstinência de álcool e desintoxicação alcoólica ambulatorial: comparação entre os gêneros e a relação com o desfecho do tratamento / Alcohol withrawal syndrome and out patient alcohol detoxification: a genger comparison and its relationship with treatment outcome / Sindrome de abstinencia alcohólica desintoxicación alcohólica ambulatoria: comparación entre los géneros y la relación com el resultado de tratamiento

Síndrome de abstinência alcoólica (SAA) é vista com frequência nos serviços de saúde e as intervenções terapêuticas apresentam amplo espectro, dadas as diferentes necessidades de cada paciente. A proposta da pesquisa foi avaliar sua existência, a necessidade de desintoxicação ambulatorial (DST) e a relação com o desfecho de tratamento entre dependentes químicos. Trata-se de estudo retrospectivo com amostra de 1.051 pacientes que procuraram tratamento pela primeira vez na Unidade de Pesquisa em Álcool e Drogas da Universidade Federal de São Paulo entre 2000 e 2006. Registrou-se apenas a primeira DST, quando necessária, logo após a entrada no tratamento. as achados foram que apenas homens apresentaram significância estatística quanta à necessidade da DST ambulatorial, à categoria profissional que atuou nesse processo e ao usa de medicações especificas. Pacientes submetidos à DST tenderam a permanecer mais tempo em tratamento; a intervenção da enfermagem mostrou que existem novas possibilidades de atuação na área da dependência química e que medidas especificas devem ser planejadas as mulheres, as quais abandonam a tratamento mal e precocemente quando comparadas aos homens.

The differences regarding alcohol withdrawal syndrome and its treatment are not entirely explored because, fordecades, research studies have only been focusing on the male alcohol-related problems.The study has assessedboth pattern and frequency of alcohol consumption, presence of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, and the need for outpatient detoxification, besides relating AWS and OD to the treatment outcomes. It is a retrospective study with 1,051 patients who sought treatment in the Unidade de Pesquisa em Alcool e Drogas da Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (Alcohol and Drug Research Unit at the Federal University of Sao Paulo) for the first time between 2000 and 2006. Patients were followed up during the first year of treatment until they decided to drop out(four non-justified consecutive absences) and only the first OD was recorded when needed. Although both male and female patients showed statistical significance with alcohol consumption, only men had a relationship with the need of outpatient detoxification, which was performed by professionals who used specific medications. Patients submited to the 00 process tended to spend more time under treatment and nursing intervention showed that there are new possibilities for working in the area of chemical dependency. In addition, specific measures shouldbe planned for women as they are more likely to abandon treatment earlier than men.

EI síndrome de abstinencia alcohólica (SAA) se observa con frecuencia en los servicios de salud, y las intervenciones terapeuticas presentan un amplio espectro, a consecuencia de las distintas necesidades de cada paciente La propuesta de este estudio tue evaluar la presencia del sindrorne de abstinencia alcohólica (SAA), la necesidadde desintoxicación (OST) ambulatoria y la relación con el resultado del tratamiento entre los dependientes quimicos. Se trata de un estudio retrospectivo, con una muestra de 1051 pacientes, que buscaron tratamiento por la primera vez en la Unidade de Pesquisa em Alcool e Drogas da Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (Unidad de Investigación en Alcohol y Drogas de la Universidad Federal de Sao Paulo), entre 2000 y 2006. Se registró solola primera OST, cuando necesaria, em seguida a su ingreso en el tratamiento. Los resultados señalaron que sololos hombres presentaron relevancia estatistica en cuanto a la necesidad de la DST ambulatoria, rango protosional que actuó en este proceso y el uso de medicaciones especificas. Los pacientes sometidos al proceso deDST manifestaron una tendencia a permanecer mas tiempo en tratamiento, la intervención de enfermeria mostró que hay nuevas posibilidades de actuación en el area de dependencia quimica y que debe planificarse acetones especificas dirigidas hacia las mujeres que presentan abandono de tratamiento mas precoz, cuando comparadas a los hombres.