Batki SL, Manfredi LB, Murphy JM, Washburn AM, Jones RT; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 1993 Jun 6-11; 9: 416 (abstract no. PO-B16-1685).

OBJECTIVE: To test the effectiveness of a controlled trial of fluoxetine treatment for cocaine abuse and depression in HIV-infected injection drug users (IDUs) in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). METHOD: Thirty-seven HIV-infected IDUs in MMT were studied as part of a larger randomized, double-blind, twelve week trial of fluoxetine, up to 40 mg/day, versus placebo, for the treatment of cocaine dependence. Twenty-two (59%) were African-American and 18 (49%) were male. Mean age was 39 years. Fifteen (41%) had a current diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder. Four subjects has asymptomatic HIV infection (CDC Group II), 31 had symptomatic HIV disease (CDC Groups III, IV-A, IV-C2), and 2 had AIDS (CDC Group IV-C1). Mean CD4 lymphocyte count was 432 cells/cu mm at intake. Twenty-eight (77%) patients were receiving AZT. RESULTS: Few side effects were noted, and 27 of 37 subjects completed all 12 weeks of the study. Subjects receiving fluoxetine (FLX) had significantly lower levels of cocaine abuse as measured by weekly quantitative urine benzoylecgonine (BE) concentrations. Median urine BE (over the entire study, weeks 1-12), was 17,728 ng BE/mg urine creatinine (FLX) compared to 61,380 ng/mg (PLA) (Mann Whitney U; p < .05). Mean days of cocaine use for weeks 1-12 was 1.6 days/wk (FLX) compared to 2.6 days/wk (PLA) (unpaired t-test p < .10). Mean cocaine craving scores for weeks 1-12 was 5.3 (FLX) compared to 8.8 (PLA) (possible range 0-24) (p < 0.01). For the 15 subjects (7 FLX, 8 PLA) with current Major Depressive Disorder, Hamilton Depression, Beck Depression and Hamilton Anxiety scores decreased significantly from intake to week 12 (last observation carried forward) (p < 0.05) for the FLX group but not for the PLA group. CD4 lymphocyte counts did not change significantly after the 12 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSION: Fluoxetine appears to be well-tolerated and may be effective in reducing cocaine abuse, cocaine craving, and depression in HIV-infected IDUs in MMT.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• AIDS Vaccines
• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Cocaine
• Cocaine-Related Disorders
• Crack Cocaine
• Depression
• Depressive Disorder
• Double-Blind Method
• Fluoxetine
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Humans
• Male
• Substance-Related Disorders
• benzoylecgonine
• drug therapy
• therapy

Other ID:

• 93335259

UI: 102204636

From Meeting Abstracts