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Alcohol and nicotine dependence are common in schizophrenia. Varenicline is effective in smoking cessation and has also been shown to decrease alcohol consumption in smokers. The present pilot study assessed the safety and effectiveness of varenicline for treatment of concurrent nicotine and alcohol dependence in schizophrenia. Outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and concurrent alcohol and nicotine dependence were enrolled in this 8-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Alcohol use and smoking were assessed using self-report (Timeline Follow-Back) and biological measures. Adverse events were recorded. Changes in the number of standard drinks per week and cigarettes per week were compared in the 2 groups. Because of safety concerns or loss to follow-up, of 55 patients enrolled, only 10 started study medication, 5 each on varenicline and placebo. Gastrointestinal adverse effects, such as severe abdominal pain, limited study completion to only 4 subjects. Number of standard alcoholic drinks consumed per week decreased by mean (SD) 16.6 (20.1) in the varenicline group and by 2.4 (27.4) in the placebo group. Mean (SD) number of cigarettes smoked per week decreased by 66 (65) in the varenicline group and by 47 (77) in the placebo group. Varenicline treatment of concurrent alcohol and nicotine dependence in schizophrenia may be problematic because of safety concerns limiting recruitment and poor tolerability (gastrointestinal adverse effects) limiting retention. There was no increased number of serious neuropsychiatric adverse events in the varenicline group. Based on this small sample, concurrent alcohol and nicotine dependence in schizophrenia may present special obstacles to successful treatment with varenicline.
Meszaros et al. (Fri,) studied this question.