Relationship between Craving and Early Relapse in Alcohol Dependence: A Short-Term Follow-up Study

Abstract

Background: The role of craving in alcohol dependence and its relationship with relapse has been studied widely in the past decade. The present study was undertaken to assess the role of craving in short-term relapse of patients seeking treatment for alcohol dependence and changes in craving score at the end of detoxification and at follow-up. Materials and Methods: A total of 34 male individuals with alcohol dependence (excluding comorbid drug dependence, organic or psychiatric disorder), after detoxification and discharge, consented. No anticraving medicine, aversive or psychotherapy, was advised. They were diagnosed on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases-10 using Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies. Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) and Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment Scale–Alcohol-Revised (CIWA-AR) were administered at the time of admission. Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) was applied at the time of discharge and follow-up to measure craving for alcohol. Results: Out of a total of thirty patients analyzed after dropout, 21 relapsed at the end of 1 month. On comparing PACS scores between relapsed and nonrelapsed patients, the difference was significant at both time points, i.e., at discharge and follow-up ( t = 4.15, P < 0.0001 and t = 4.01, P < 0.001, respectively). In the total sample, SADQ and CIWA-AR scores were positively correlated (r = 0.47, P = 0.009). PACS at discharge was compared with PACS at follow-up, of which the correlation was high (r = 0.832, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Craving seems to be a main factor related to relapse. Its measurement with PACS can be a useful tool to predict subsequent drinking and to identify individual risk for relapse during treatment.

Determinants of Treatment Outcome, Follow-Up, and Abstinence Rates Among Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Prospective Study

“…The present follow-up study aimed to assess the principal factors that influence the treatment outcome, follow-up, and abstinence rates among patients with alcohol use disorder at the time of admission and three months post-discharge. The follow-up duration was taken as three months due to the reasons such as: a) published literature from similar demographic zones which revealed 85% of patients with alcohol use disorder relapsed by 3 months, b) a short follow-up period to ensure the maximum number of participants in the follow-up and to minimize attrition, and c) to minimize logistic difficulties in sustaining long follow-up periods due to COVID-related movement restrictions encountered by the study participants [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of internet‐mediated ‘relapse prevention therapy’ for patients with alcohol use disorder: A pilot study

“…Previous studies indicated the role of coping in predicting the risk of lapse and relapse, and improvement of coping skills to reduce the risk of relapse to alcohol [22,23]. Higher craving also predicted a higher risk of relapse on alcohol [24]. Finally, all three factors, craving, coping and level of motivation, may interact with each other and influence the propensity of relapse‐ as per the reformulated cognitive‐behaviour model or dynamic model of relapse [25].…”

Cognitive and clinic profile of volatile substance users

“…In substances with similar effects to inhalants, such as alcohol, subjects have significantly high craving scores (Kharb, Shekhawat, Beniwal, Bhatia, & Deshpande, 2018;Petit et al, 2017). Literature points out that people who have a low inhibitory control will be more prone to use substances and therefore engage in drug seeking behaviors in the presence of craving (Bresin & Verona, 2019).…”