{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,27]],"date-time":"2026-06-27T04:45:23Z","timestamp":1782535523233,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781222400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":11,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,1]],"date-time":"2026-06-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1780272000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000027","name":"National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["K24AA025704"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["K24AA025704"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000027","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000027","name":"National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["R21AA029771"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["R21AA029771"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000027","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends a minimum duration of 6\u2009months for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating pharmacotherapies for alcohol use disorder (AUD). The relationship between trial length and treatment effects is not well understood. The current study conducted meta\u2010regression analyses of RCTs for AUD to examine the association between trial length and observed medication effect sizes in clinical trials.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      This secondary data analysis utilized data from a systematic literature review that identified 139 pharmacotherapy RCTs for AUD conducted between 1985 and 2023. Meta\u2010regressions were conducted using the\n                      <jats:italic>metafor<\/jats:italic>\n                      package in R to examine whether shorter (&lt;\u200912\u2009weeks) or longer (&gt;\u200912\u2009weeks) trials differed in observed medication effect sizes for abstinence\u2010 and drinking\u2010based endpoints, relative to 12\u2010week trials, which represented the median trial duration. Publication bias was addressed using a weight\u2010function model.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      For abstinence\u2010based endpoints, neither shorter (&lt;\u200912\u2009weeks;\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.13, SE\u2009=\u20090.21,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.54) nor longer (&gt;\u200912\u2009weeks;\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.11, SE\u2009=\u20090.11,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.30) trials differed significantly from the 12\u2010week reference group in observed medication effect sizes. Similarly, for drinking\u2010based endpoints, neither shorter (&lt;\u200912\u2009weeks;\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u2009\u22120.07, SE\u2009=\u20090.09,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.39) nor longer (&gt;\u200912\u2009weeks;\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.06, SE\u2009=\u20090.05,\n                      <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\n                      \u2009=\u20090.26) trials differed significantly from 12\u2010week trials in observed medication effect sizes. All results remained nonsignificant after adjusting for publication bias. In sensitivity analyses restricted to trials with statistically significant effect sizes, trials &gt;\u200912\u2009weeks showed smaller estimated treatment effects compared to trials \u2264\u200912\u2009weeks.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Observed medication effect sizes did not differ significantly across trial lengths for abstinence and drinking\u2010based endpoints, except for analyses restricted to trials with significant effect sizes, where there was an advantage for trials that were 12\u2009weeks or shorter. These findings inform efforts to optimize AUD RCT design.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1111\/acer.70306","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]],"date-time":"2026-06-12T15:00:16Z","timestamp":1781276416000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Examining the Impact of Trial Length on Detecting Medication Effects for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Meta\u2010Regression Study"],"prefix":"10.1111","volume":"50","author":[{"given":"Malia A.","family":"Belnap","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program University of California  Los Angeles California USA"},{"name":"Department of Psychology University of California  Los Angeles California USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1086-3067","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katie","family":"Witkiewitz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Center on Alcohol, Substance Use, and Addictions (CASAA) University of New Mexico  Albuquerque New Mexico USA"},{"name":"Department of Psychology University of New Mexico  Albuquerque New Mexico USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4250-0495","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joseph P.","family":"Schacht","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine  Aurora Colorado USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3417-6576","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Raymond F.","family":"Anton","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Addiction Sciences Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Medical University of South Carolina  Charleston South Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Arnie P.","family":"Aldridge","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Behavioral Health Research Division RTI International, Research Triangle Park  Durham North Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1158-5211","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Steven J.","family":"Nieto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience Wayne State University  Detroit Michigan USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5734-9444","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lara A.","family":"Ray","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology University of California  Los Angeles California USA"},{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences University of California  Los Angeles California USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_8_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/npp.2011.182"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamapsychiatry.2025.2515"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2013.07.007"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s40265-021-01670-3"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_6_1","unstructured":"Coburn K. M. andJ. L.Vevea.2019.\u201cEstimating Weight\u2010Function Models for Publication Bias [R Package Version 2.0.2].\u201dhttps:\/\/CRAN.R\u2010project.org\/package=weightr."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.alcohol.2024.06.007"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adaw.34662"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_9_1","unstructured":"European Medicines Agency.2010.\u201cGuideline on the Development of Medicinal Products for the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence.\u201dhttps:\/\/www.ema.europa.eu\/en\/documents\/scientific\u2010guideline\/guideline\u2010development\u2010medicinal\u2010products\u2010treatment\u2010alcohol\u2010dependence_en.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/alcalc\/agac004"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/acer.12205"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/1471-0528.15199"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3102\/10769986006002107"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/1082-989X.3.4.486"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/acer.12197"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1369-1600.2012.00454.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/ccp0000447"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1360-0443.2012.04054.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12916-019-1476-5"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_20_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00213-024-06589-7"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15288\/jsa.1998.59.631"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_22_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41386-020-00913-3"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/acer.14670"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.15288\/jsa.1997.58.581"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_25_1","unstructured":"Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.2015.\u201cMedication for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder: A Brief Guide (No. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 15\u20134907).\u201dSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.https:\/\/library.samhsa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/sma15\u20104907.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_26_1","unstructured":"U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Food and Drug Administration Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER).2015.\u201cAlcoholism: Developing Drugs for Treatment Guidance for Industry.\u201dDraft Guidance."},{"key":"e_1_2_8_27_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02294384"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamapsychiatry.2025.2508"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/acer.12800"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s11606-020-06331-x"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/acer.13371"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/01.ALC.0000091237.34225.D7"},{"key":"e_1_2_8_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/009286150904300411"}],"container-title":["Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/acer.70306","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1111\/acer.70306","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1111\/acer.70306","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,27]],"date-time":"2026-06-27T03:47:31Z","timestamp":1782532051000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1111\/acer.70306"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]},"references-count":32,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1111\/acer.70306"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1111\/acer.70306","archive":["Portico"],"relation":{},"ISSN":["2993-7175","2993-7175"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2993-7175","type":"print"},{"value":"2993-7175","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2025-12-10","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-04-13","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-06-12","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}],"article-number":"e70306"}}