Oral vs. Intramuscular Naltrexone for Patients Hospitalized with Alcohol Use Disorder

Naltrexone is a first-line medication for alcohol use disorder; however, whether clinical outcomes differ based on which of its two formulations are used (a once-daily pill or once-monthly injection) is unclear. Boston-based researchers randomized ≈250 hospitalized patients with alcohol use disorder to either oral or intramuscular naltrexone at hospital discharge. Participants in both arms attended research study visits once monthly for 3 months.

Investigators noted no significant difference between the groups in the primary outcome — change in heavy drinking days (defined as ≥5 drinks for men or ≥4 drinks for women). At 3 months, the average number of heavy drinking days during the past 30 days had decreased from ≈20 prior to hospitalizatio…