Objective: To compare the efficacy & tolerability of Lorazepam and Levetiracetam in alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Method and Materials: This was a 15 days, randomized, parallel, double blind comparative study. Fifty out-patients with mean age 35.38 ± 7.00 years, with mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal syndrome were enrolled for study after obtaining informed written consent. Levetiracetam 500 mg capsules and lorazepam 2 mg capsules were prescribed for 5 days. Main outcome measures: Primary variables were CIWA-Ar total score and CGI- scale. Other variables included global assessments of safety and tolerability. Results : In both groups, from 2nd day all participants had achieved a clinically relevant improvement of their withdrawal symptoms on CIWA-Ar. There was drastic reduction on the scores of CIWA-Ar scale and CGI-S scale, and increment on CGI-I scale, from baseline to day 7 & day 15. These changes were statistically highly significant (p 0.001), which shown that both drugs were efficacious in the treatment of acute mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal syndrome. But there were no statistically significant differences between the both treatment groups on day 7 & day 15 in all efficacy measures, so that the results obtained with these treatment schemes can be considered as equal. Side-effects were more common in the lorazepam group than in the levetiracetam group. The most frequently reported side-effect of lorazepam was daytime sleepiness. Conclusions: From the present study it can be concluded that, levetiracetam is equivalent in efficacy and better in tolerability to lorazepam in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Because levetiracetam has less side-effects and less interaction with alcohol, therefore levetiracetam may be used safely in alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Interest of study: No conflict of study.
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