Preliminary evaluation of extended-release naltrexone in Michigan and Missouri drug courts

This pilot study, a retrospective case series analysis, examined the feasibility and effectiveness of treating alcohol dependence with extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) in the drug court setting. In two Michigan courts and in one Missouri court, 32 clients were treated with XR-NTX and were matched with 32 clients with standard care in an open-label, voluntary recruitment design. Treatment with XR-NTX was associated with relative risk reductions (RRRs; p = ns) of 57% fewer missed drug court sessions, a 35% reduction in the monthly ratio of positive drug and alcohol tests to total tests, and 35% fewer individuals with greater than 25% overall positive alcohol or drug tests. In the principal end-point analysis of annualized number of new arrests, 26% of standard-care clients were rearrested versus 8% on XR-NTX (RRR = 69%; p < .05). Treatment with XR-NTX appeared to be feasible and was associated with a consistently large treatment effect across multiple outcomes relevant to the drug court setting.