Long-term outcome of two forms of randomised benzodiazepine discontinuation.

Oude Voshaar, R C; Gorgels, W J M J; Mol, A J J; van Balkom, A J L M; Mulder, J; van de Lisdonk, E H; Breteler, M H M; Zitman, F G · Br J Psychiatry · 2006

rct · Level II

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Abstract

About two-thirds of long-term users of benzodiazepines in the population are able to discontinue this drug with the aid of supervised programmes for tapering off. Little is known about the long-term outcome of such programmes, and they have never been compared with usual care. After a 15-month follow-up of a randomised controlled trial comparing such a programme with and without psychotherapy with usual care, we found significantly higher longitudinal abstinence rates in long-term benzodiazepine users who received a benzodiazepine tapering-off programme without psychotherapy (25 out of 69, 36%) compared with those who received usual care (5 out of 33,15%; P=0.03).

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