ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Several investigations have communicated frequent association between alcohol dependence and depression. METHOD: 21 subjects with DSM-IV criteria for alcohol dependence were included in an open label trial for alcohol withdrawal. At inclusion and along the follow-up none of the probands met DSM-IV criteria for mood disorder. Follow-up included a 15-day detoxification period and 195 days of withdrawal program, including treatment with 20 mg/d of fluoxetine. Occurrence of depressive semiology was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) on day 15 (after detoxification), day 75 and day 210 (after withdrawal from ethanol of 195 days). RESULTS: 67% of the sample showed a positive basal BDI (after-detoxification-BDI> 9). Global retention rate after 210 days of follow-up was 57%. All patients who dropped out the investigation before completing the protocol showed a basal BDI in the depressive rank (BDI= 10-63), and maintained depressive scores in this instrument until their abandonment. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of <
