Evaluating the influence of nonproblematic alcohol intake on the outcome of major depression

Abstract

The effect of light or moderate alcohol intake on the outcome of patients with major depression taking antidepressants is a question that remains unanswered. The main objective of this study was to assess the association between light or moderate alcohol consumption and the acute response (efficacy and tolerability) to pharmacological treatment in unipolar major depression. Efficacy and tolerability analyses compared 8-week outcomes between three subgroups, abstainers, light drinkers and moderate drinkers, of patients with major depression using a prospective naturalistic single-blind design. The treatment strategy was adapted from a local clinical guideline. Antidepressants prescribed were escitalopram, venlafaxine extended-release and imipramine; benzodiazepines and antipsychotics could be prescribed as needed. The final sample consisted of 614 severe unipolar major depressive inpatients and outpatients aged 18 years or older. Notably, no significant differences in efficacy or tolerability (including all subscores assessed) were found between the abstainer and nonproblematic drinker subgroups. Without ever forgetting the serious implicit risks associated with the inappropriate use of alcohol, in conclusion, our results suggest that nonproblematic alcohol consumption does not influence the outcome of patients diagnosed with an acute severe major depressive episode.