Chemical aversion therapy in the treatment of cocaine dependence as part of a multimodal treatment program: treatment outcome

A pilot feasibility study of chemical aversion therapy in the treatment of cocaine dependence as part of a multimodal treatment program was conducted at the Schick Shadel Hospital of Santa Barbara. Twenty (20) patients (9 treating for cocaine only and 11 treating for cocaine/alcohol), who primarily snorted cocaine, completed a program which included chemical aversion therapy to develop a conditioned aversion to the sight, smell, and taste of a cocaine substitute (tetracaine, mannitol, and quinine with Psychem. Ninety-five (95) percent of patients were followed up in six months with a total abstinence rate from cocaine of 56% (78% current abstinence of at least 30 days prior to follow-up) in the cocaine only group and total abstinence from cocaine of 70% (also 70% current abstinence) for the cocaine/alcohol group. Ninety (90) percent were followed up at 18 months. Thirty eight (38) percent of the cocaine only group had been totally abstinent (75% were currently abstinent). Fifty (50) percent of the cocaine/alcohol group had been totally abstinent (80% were currently abstinent). Validation of results was obtained from "significant others" for 90% of patients.     

The relationship of alcohol use to cocaine relapse in cocaine dependent patients in an aftercare study

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between alcohol use and cocaine relapse. METHOD: Ninety-eight cocaine-dependent male patients in aftercare were followed for 6 months following completion of an intensive outpatient rehabilitation program (IOP). Past and current alcohol dependence was assessed at entrance into aftercare, and drinking behavior prior to cocaine relapse and "near miss" episodes was assessed at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Data on cocaine and alcohol use throughout the follow-up were also obtained. RESULTS: Patients who had never met criteria for alcohol dependence and those with current alcohol dependence had worse cocaine outcomes (cocaine use on 10% and 7% of the days in the follow-up, respectively) than those with past alcohol dependence (cocaine use on 3% of the days in the follow-up), although alcohol dependence status no longer predicted cocaine use outcomes when cocaine use in IOP was controlled. Alcohol use in 4 of the first 5 follow-up months significantly predicted cocaine relapse status in the next month after cocaine use in IOP and alcohol dependence diagnosis at baseline were controlled. Patients who experienced cocaine relapses were much more likely to report drinking before the onset of the episode than those who had "near misses," particularly on the day of the episode (40% vs. 6% at 3 months; 62% vs. 0% at 6 months). Alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the relapses of cocaine patients with no history of alcohol dependence, even though they did report drinking on 5% of the days in the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Relapse prevention efforts with cocaine abusers who have histories of alcohol dependence should include interventions designed to reduce drinking.     

Daily marijuana users with past alcohol problems increase alcohol consumption during marijuana abstinence

Drug abuse treatment programs typically recommend complete abstinence because of a fear that clients who stop use of one drug will substitute another. A within-subjects study investigated whether consumption of alcohol and other substances changes during marijuana abstinence. Twenty-eight daily marijuana users who were not trying to stop or reduce their marijuana consumption completed an 8-day baseline period in which they used marijuana and other drugs as usual, a 13-day marijuana abstinence period, and a 7-day return-to-baseline period. Participants provided self-report of substance use daily and submitted urine samples twice weekly to verify marijuana abstinence. A diagnosis of past alcohol abuse or dependence significantly moderated the alcohol increase from baseline to marijuana abstinence (p < 0.01), such that individuals with this diagnosis significantly increased alcohol use (52% increase) but those without this history did not (3% increase). Increases in marijuana withdrawal discomfort scores and alcohol craving scores from baseline to marijuana abstinence significantly and positively correlated with increases in alcohol use. Increases in cigarettes, caffeine, and non-marijuana illicit drugs did not occur. This study provides empirical validation of drug substitution in a subgroup of daily marijuana users, but results need to be replicated in individuals who seek treatment for marijuana problems.     

Expectancies for smoking cessation among drug-involved smokers: Implications for clinical practice

Drug-involved smokers may be less motivated to quit smoking because they expect smoking cessation to occasion adverse outcomes (e.g., exacerbation of drug use). Non-treatment-seeking adult smokers from the community (N = 507) reported drug involvement, expectancies for smoking abstinence via the Smoking Abstinence Questionnaire (SAQ), and motivation to quit smoking (desire to quit and abstinence goal). Mediation analyses evaluated the indirect effects of binge drinking, marijuana, cocaine, other stimulant, opiate, and barbiturate/other sedative involvement on motivation to quit smoking through the SAQ Adverse Outcomes scale. Adverse outcomes expectancies accounted for a reduced desire to quit smoking and a lower likelihood of endorsing a goal of complete smoking abstinence among those involved with binge drinking, marijuana, cocaine, other stimulants, opiates, and barbiturates/other sedatives. Drug-involved smokers' greater expectancies for adverse outcomes upon quitting smoking may deter smoking quit attempts. Interventions are encouraged to counteract the notion that smoking cessation jeopardizes sobriety.     

Factors in sustained recovery from cocaine dependence

The goal was to identify factors that predicted sustained cocaine abstinence and transitions from cocaine use to abstinence over 24 months. Data from baseline assessments and multiple follow-ups were obtained from three studies of continuing care for patients in intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). In the combined sample, remaining cocaine abstinent and transitioning into abstinence at the next follow-up were predicted by older age, less education, and less cocaine and alcohol use at baseline, and by higher self-efficacy, commitment to abstinence, better social support, lower depression, and lower scores on other problem severity measures assessed during the follow-up. In addition, higher self-help participation, self-help beliefs, readiness to change, and coping assessed during the follow-up predicted transitions from cocaine use to abstinence. These results were stable over 24 months. Commitment to abstinence, self-help behaviors and beliefs, and self-efficacy contributed independently to the prediction of cocaine use transitions. Implications for treatment are discussed.     

Prospective validation of substance abuse severity measures from administrative data

BACKGROUND: Severity measures for clients in substance abuse treatment programs are becoming increasingly important as funders adopt payment systems linked to agency performance. Recently, two severity measures based on administrative data have been developed. This study validated these measures using prospective data. METHODS: Subjects were participants in the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcomes Study (adult or adolescent components) or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Medicaid Managed Behavioral Healthcare and Vulnerable Populations project (adult or adolescent chemical dependency components). Severity measures were calculated based on data obtained at entry into substance abuse treatment. The baseline severity measures were included along with age, gender, and race/ethnicity in logistic regression models predicting abstinence at follow-up for alcohol use, marijuana use, cocaine use, or heroin use. RESULTS: For adults, the severity measures were highly statistically significant (p<0.001) for all models in both data sets, indicating that adults with higher severity were more likely (and much more likely in many cases) to use alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, or heroin at the follow-up interview than were those with lower severity. For adolescents, the severity measure was highly statistically significant (p<0.001) for marijuana in both data sets and for alcohol in the Medicaid data set. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline severity measures were powerful predictors of abstinence at follow-up. These measures, derived from routinely available electronic records, appear to have noteworthy predictive validity. The severity indicators can be used for administrative purposes such as risk-adjustment when examining treatment agency performance.     

Baseline prediction of 7-month cocaine abstinence for cocaine dependence patients

A broad range of baseline subject variables was evaluated to identify predictors of 7-month cocaine use for 160 lower socioeconomic cocaine dependent male veteran patients participating in either an intensive 1-month day hospital (DH; n=90) or a 1-month inpatient (INP; n=70) treatment program. The baseline measures included sociodemographic variables, the seven Addiction Severity Index composite scores, cocaine urine toxicology, craving, the SCL-90 total score, and lifetime psychiatric diagnoses. Since a proportion of subjects who reported no use at follow-up had positive urines, both liberal and conservative data estimation strategies were employed for subjects without urine toxicology data at follow-up who had reported no use (21% of subjects). Analyses were done separately for the DH and INP subjects. Under the conservative definition of cocaine abstinence/use, univariate correlations of predictor variables with 7-month cocaine use revealed no statistically significant relationships. Under the liberal definition of cocaine abstinence/use, only one variable, greater severity of alcohol problems at intake predicted cocaine abstinence at outcome. Because of the inability to predict treatment success, originally planned logistic regression analyses were not undertaken. The findings point to the difficulty of predicting long-term outcomes in cocaine dependent patients based on baseline information and to the importance of obtaining objective data on cocaine use.     

Cocaine abusers with and without alcohol dependence respond equally well to contingency management treatments

Contingency management (CM) treatments are efficacious in treating cocaine abuse. Despite high prevalence rates of alcohol dependence (AD) among individuals with cocaine use disorders, relatively little data are available regarding whether comorbid AD is associated with poorer treatment outcomes in general, or in response to CM in particular. Using data from 3 randomized trials of CM for cocaine abuse, we compared cocaine abusers (N = 393) with and without AD in terms of abstinence and psychosocial problems during treatment and follow-up. Alcohol dependent participants had more lifetime years of cocaine and alcohol use and greater severity of alcohol and psychiatric problems. CM was positively and significantly associated with longer durations of abstinence, regardless of AD status. Although not significantly associated with abstinence, the presence of AD was related to improvement in medical and alcohol-related problems during treatment, and these gains were maintained posttreatment. The results suggest that cocaine abusers benefit equally well from CM treatments, regardless of AD status. Further, alcohol dependent participants are able to offset greater baseline severity in psychosocial functioning and maintain these improvements with CM.     

A marijuana smoking cessation clinical trial utilizing THC-free marijuana, aversion therapy, and self-management counseling

Twenty-two volunteer adult chronic marijuana smokers participated in a smoking cessation clinical trial. The mean age of the 16 male and 6 female subjects was 29.8 years. The mean number of years of marijuana smoking was 13.7. The mean number of daily marijuana cigarettes smoked was 3.4. The clinical trial consisted of five consecutive days of 50 minute aversion therapy sessions (faradic, rapid smoking, and quick puffing) utilizing THC-free marijuana. Three weekly 60 minute group cohort sessions in self-management counseling followed. The treatment period spanned four weeks. Pretreatment and posttreatment (one month interval) the Shipley Institute of Living Scale was administered to measure changes in both cognitive functioning and organic brain dysfunction. All 22 subjects achieved abstinence (by self-report) by the end of the five days of aversion therapy; 19 of 21 subjects (90.5%) reported abstinence at the conclusion of the clinical trial, following the group sessions. At six months post treatment follow-up 15 of the 20 subjects (75.0%) reported abstinence; at 12 month posttreatment follow-up 16 of the 19 subjects (84.2%) achieved abstinence. The mean number of daily marijuana cigarettes smoked by the subjects decreased from a baseline pretreatment level of 3.40 to 0 at the conclusion of aversion therapy, .07 at the conclusion of the clinical trial, .26 at six month posttreatment follow-up and .23 at the 12 month posttreatment follow-up. The mean scores on the Shipley Institute of Living Scale, were: IQ 106 and CQ 92 at pretreatment; IQ 112 and CQ 104 at posttreatment. The difference in these means was significant for both intelligence and conceptual quotient. The investigators conclude that the treatment procedure offers promise as a marijuana smoking cessation treatment program.     

Differences in treatment outcome between male alcohol dependent offenders of domestic violence with and without positive drug screens

Men who are violent toward their partners tend to have a dual problem with alcohol and drug use, yet little is known about differences between men with single rather than dual problems. This study was one of the first to evaluate differences between alcohol dependent men who were arrested for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) with and without concurrent illicit drug use. Seventy-eight participants were randomly assigned to manual-guided group behavioral therapies (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Twelve Step Facilitation) and assessed across 12 weeks of treatment. Despite denying drug use at baseline, thirty-two clients (43%) tested positive for illicit drug use (cocaine and marijuana) during the 12 weeks of treatment. The study specifically addressed whether there were differences between clients using alcohol only versus individuals using both alcohol + drugs in terms of 1) baseline characteristics; 2) treatment compliance (e.g., attendance and substance use during treatment; and 3) treatment outcomes (alcohol, drug use, anger management, and aggression at the completion of treatment). The results showed that there were comparatively few differences between the alcohol versus the alcohol + drug using groups at baseline. Regarding treatment compliance and retention, alcohol + drug using participants attended significantly fewer sessions, had significantly fewer percent days abstinence from alcohol use, significantly more total days of positive breathalyzer results. Regarding treatment outcomes across anger management and aggression scores, the alcohol + drug using participants had significantly more impairments in anger management styles from pre- to post-treatment. However, there were no differences between the groups across verbal or physical aggression. Both groups improved in their verbal aggression from pre- to post-treatment. The findings suggest that alcohol dependent men who continue to use illicit drugs may require additional interventions to effectively control their drug use and, their anger management styles.     

History of alcohol or drug problems, current use of alcohol or marijuana, and success in quitting smoking

Previous research suggests higher rates of smoking, and smoking cessation failure, in alcohol- and drug-abusing populations. The present study examined the relationship of alcohol/drug treatment history and current alcohol and marijuana consumption with success in smoking cessation treatment in a smoking clinic population. Participants were 199 smokers; 23% reported a history of alcohol/drug problems, 12.6% reported a history of drug treatment, 78.7% reported alcohol use, and 21.3% reported marijuana use during treatment. Results indicate no significant differences in abstinence rates based on history of alcohol/drug problem or treatment. Differences were found for any current alcohol use but not for marijuana use. Both alcohol use at baseline and any alcohol use during treatment predicted smoking at all follow-up points. Alcohol users had significantly lower quit rates than did participants reporting no use. Neither use of marijuana at baseline nor during treatment predicted outcome. These findings suggest that even low to moderate levels of alcohol consumption during smoking cessation may decrease treatment success.     

Drugs of abuse found in fatally injured drivers in Los Angeles County

Blood or urine specimens from nearly 600 fatally injured drivers in two Los Angeles County studies were analyzed for the presence of alcohol and other drugs of abuse, including PCP, cocaine, opiates and marijuana. The results of the preliminary study indicate that 65 out of 102 fatally injured drivers had used alcohol and/or another drug of abuse - 34 had used alcohol only, 12 had used one or more other drug(s) of abuse, and 19 had used alcohol in combination with another drug of abuse. The results of the larger follow-up study, begun a year later, indicate a continued high level of both alcohol use (41.5%) and marijuana use (19%) with moderate cocaine usage (8%) and low levels (less than 2%) of barbiturate and PCP usage.     

Community reinforcement approach plus vouchers for cocaine dependence in a community setting in Spain: six-month outcomes

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the community reinforcement approach (CRA) plus vouchers treatment in achieving cocaine abstinence and treatment retention among patients enrolled in an outpatient program for cocaine dependence in Spain. Forty-three patients were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions in a community setting: CRA plus vouchers or standard care. Of the patients who received the CRA plus vouchers program, 73% completed 24 weeks of treatment, as compared with 42% of the patients who received standard care who did. In the CRA plus vouchers group, 40% of the patients achieved 24 weeks of continuous cocaine abstinence, as compared with 21% of the patients in the standard care group who did. These results support the effectiveness and generalizability of the CRA plus vouchers treatment in a community setting outside of the United States. Further follow-up is required to confirm the long-term maintenance of the results.     

Contingency management is efficacious and improves outcomes in cocaine patients with pretreatment marijuana use

Background

Marijuana use is common in patients seeking treatment for cocaine use. Nevertheless, few studies have examined effects of marijuana use on treatment outcomes in general, and even fewer with respect to contingency management (CM) treatment, which has been criticized for potentially increasing non-reinforced drug use.

Methods

Data from three randomized clinical trials of CM versus standard treatment (ST) in cocaine-abusing patients were examined ( [Petry et al., 2004], [Petry et al., 2005a] and [Petry et al., 2006a]; N = 393) to assess effects of pretreatment marijuana use on outcomes. Patients were divided into two groups: (1) no self-reported marijuana use (No Pre-M; n = 315) and (2) any self-reported marijuana use (Pre-M; n = 78) in the 30 days pretreatment.

Results

CM was especially efficacious in enhancing retention in Pre-M patients such that retention nearly doubled among Pre-M patients assigned to CM versus those assigned to ST. In contrast, CM exerted only modest benefits on retention in No Pre-M patients. Pretreatment marijuana use was not related to during-treatment abstinence from cocaine, opioids, and alcohol, or abstinence at a Month 9 follow-up. However, CM treatment and longest duration of abstinence achieved during treatment were significant predictors of Month 9 abstinence. Pre-M patients also evidenced more improvements in drug problems over time when randomized to CM.

Conclusions

CM was especially efficacious in facilitating retention and improving severity of drug-related problems in those who used marijuana in the month before initiating treatment.     

Relapse in outpatient treatment for marijuana dependence

The current study provides an initial examination of lapse and relapse to marijuana use among 82 individuals who achieved at least 2 weeks of abstinence during outpatient treatment for marijuana dependence. Seventy-one percent used marijuana at least once (i.e., lapsed) within 6 months of initial abstinence, averaging 73 days (SD = 50) till lapsing. Similarly, 71% of those who lapsed, relapsed to heavier use defined as at least 4 days of marijuana use in any 7-day period. Early lapses were more strongly associated with consequent relapse. Previous studies have noted that marijuana-dependent outpatients experience difficulty initiating abstinence from marijuana much as do those dependent on other substances. The present data suggest that these similarities extend to difficulty maintaining abstinence.     

From first drug use to drug dependence; developmental periods of risk for dependence upon marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol.

The focal point of this paper is the transition from drug use to drug dependence. We present new evidence on risk for starting to use marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol, as well as risks for progression from first drug use to the onset of drug dependence, separately for each of these drugs. Data from the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) were analyzed. The NCS had a representative sample of the United States population ages 15-54 years (n = 8,098). Survival analysis techniques were used to provide age- and time-specific risk estimates of initiating use of marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol, as well as of becoming dependent on each drug. With respect to risk of initiating use, estimated peak values for alcohol and marijuana were found at age 18, about two years earlier than the later peak in risk of initiating cocaine use. With respect to risk of meeting criteria for the clinical dependence syndrome, estimated peak values for alcohol and marijuana were found at age 17-18. Peak values for cocaine dependence were found at age 23-25. Once use began, cocaine dependence emerged early and more explosively, with an estimated 5-6% of cocaine users becoming cocaine dependent in the first year of use. Most of the observed cases of cocaine dependence met criteria for dependence within three years after initial cocaine use. Whereas some 15-16% of cocaine users had developed cocaine dependence within 10 years of first cocaine use, the corresponding values were about 8% for marijuana users, and 12-13% for alcohol users. The most novel findings of this study document a noteworthy risk for quickly developing cocaine dependence after initial cocaine use, with about one in 16 to 20 cocaine users becoming dependent within the first year of cocaine use. For marijuana and alcohol, there is a more insidious onset of the drug dependence syndrome.     

Abstinence trajectories among treated crack cocaine users

This article reports findings from a study that investigated treatment outcomes among crack/cocaine users over a 18-month period. From a cohort of 229 subjects, three groups emerged: (1) those who had reported ongoing, stable abstinence from crack/cocaine; (2) those who had consistently used during the period; and (3) those who reported cycling between abstinence and use during the follow-up period. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted to compare the three groups in terms of intake characteristics, including demographic profile, previous treatment, motivational factors, and functioning in seven Addiction Severity Index (ASI) domains. Length of time involved in aftercare and Twelve Step participation after treatment were also contrasted among the three groups. Results showed that subjects who achieved sustained abstinence from crack/cocaine also did better in other domains such as employment, family, legal, and psychiatric than others. Stable abstinence was also significantly associated with a longer period of aftercare and frequent attendance at Twelve Step programs. Logistic regression analyses further estimated the significant impact of the posttreatment factors on the achievement of sustained abstinence. The implications of these findings for treatment services research are discussed.     

Abstinence rates following behavioral treatments for marijuana dependence

Previous studies have noted particular difficulty in achieving abstinence among those who are marijuana dependent. The present study employed a dismantling design to determine whether adding contingency management (ContM) to motivational enhancement therapy plus cognitive behavioral therapy (MET+CBT), an intervention used in prior studies of treatment for marijuana dependence, would enhance abstinence outcomes. 240 marijuana dependent participants were recruited via advertisements and assigned to either MET+CBT, ContM-only, MET+CBT+ContM, or to a case-management control condition. All interventions involved 9 weekly 1-h sessions, except for the ContM-only condition whose sessions lasted about 15 min. ContM provided reinforcement for marijuana-free urine specimens, in the form of vouchers redeemable for goods or services. Follow-up data were collected at posttreatment and at 3-month intervals for 1 year. The two ContM conditions had superior abstinence outcomes: ContM-only had the highest abstinence rates at posttreatment, and the MET+CBT+ContM combination had the highest rates at later follow-ups. The roles of contingency management and coping skills training in the treatment of marijuana dependence are discussed.     

Concurrent alcohol dependence among methadone-maintained cocaine abusers is associated with greater abstinence

Concurrent alcohol dependence (AD) among polysubstance abusers has been associated with negative consequences, although it may not necessarily lead to poor treatment outcomes. One of the most efficacious treatments for cocaine abuse is contingency management (CM), but little research has explored the impact of AD on abstinence outcomes, particularly among patients in methadone maintenance. Using data from three trials of CM for cocaine use, we compared baseline characteristics and posttreatment and follow-up cocaine outcomes between methadone-maintained, cocaine-dependent patients (N = 193) with and without concurrent AD, randomized to standard care (SC) with or without CM. Patients with and without concurrent AD had similar baseline characteristics, with the exception that AD patients reported more alcohol use. AD patients achieved longer durations of cocaine abstinence and were more likely to submit a cocaine-negative sample at follow-up than non-AD patients. Patients randomized to CM achieved better outcomes than those randomized to SC, but there was no interaction between treatment condition and AD status. These findings suggest that cocaine-using methadone patients with AD achieve greater cocaine abstinence than their non-AD counterparts and should not necessarily be viewed as more difficult to treat.     

Long-term abstinence from alcohol in patients receiving aversion therapy as part of a multimodal inpatient program

A sample of 200 patients who had been treated for alcoholism in a multimodal inpatient program that used aversion therapy as a treatment component was selected for outcome evaluation. One hundred sixty (80%) were located. A minimum of 13 months had elapsed since treatment (mean 20.5 months) collateral reports were used to verify self-reports in 36% of the cases. Abstinence status was determined for the first 12 months since treatment, the entire elapsed time since treatment (range 13 to 25 months, mean 20.5 months), and "current abstinence" (last 6 months). The abstinence rate for the first 12 months was 71.3%; for the total period since treatment, the rate was 65% (mean 20.5 months); the current abstinence rate was 78.1%. The data was also viewed from other perspectives. The findings of this study suggest that a multimodal alcoholism treatment program utilizing aversion conditioning is at least as acceptable to patients as counseling centered programs and can be expected to yield favorable abstinence rates.