In summary, how does disulfiram measure up when compared to controls in helping the alcohol dependent stay abstinent or at least relapse free? Overall, this meta-analysis demonstrated evidence in open-label trials of disulfiram efficacy compared to controls in maintaining abstinence or preventing relapse. No efficacy was revealed in blind trials. In terms of safety, there was no difference between the disulfiram and control groups in studies reporting deaths and serious adverse events requiring hospitalization. Adverse events, however, were reported more for disulfiram than for controls. In spite of the limitations mentioned above, our meta-analysis allowed us to draw strong conclusions about the efficacy of disulfiram compared to other abstinence supportive pharmaceutical treatments or to no disulfiram in open-label, supervised studies for problems of alcohol abuse or dependence.
