2.5. Outcome measures
The multiple primary outcome measures were (1) total abstinence and (2) cumulative abstinence duration during the high-dose phase. Abstinence was defined as negative subjective report plus negative breathalyzer test as well as a level of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) within the normal range, or, if increased, lower compared to the baseline level. Based on previously published trials (Addolorato et al., 2007 and Johnson et al., 2007) and our own clinical experience, we chose a conservative approach assuming for data analysis that all patients who dropped out of the study had relapsed. Drop-out was defined as termination of treatment before study end.
Secondary outcomes were safety and tolerability of the study drug, drop-out rate, and changes in psychiatric assessments compared to baseline (HAM-A, HAM-D, VASC and OCDS).