Off-Label Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder Among Patients With HIV: Pilot Study 3 Semaglutide

This is a series of three open-label pilot studies that consist of a 12-week intervention including off-label use of medication with MM and a clinical pharmacist-delivered behavioral intervention to treat AUD. Participants will receive counseling that incorporates brief feedback and advice with motivational enhancement techniques to assist the participant in changing their behaviors with respect to alcohol consumption and/or polypharmacy defined as taking five or more medications, particularly if those medications interact with alcohol.

In addition, participants will be offered semaglutide in the third pilot study. The rationale for utilizing an open-label pilot study design is to determine the feasibility, acceptability, safety, and preliminary efficacy of this intervention for the management of AUD. Participants will be interviewed with regards to their perspectives on feasibility and acceptability. They will be instructed to have medication bottles at study visits to assess medication adherence and will be assessed with readiness to change metrics and questions regarding quantity and frequency of alcohol use. Patients will also be asked to complete an AUDIT-C screen and the Alcohol Symptom Checklist at the start of the study period to screen for mild, moderate, or severe AUD. Several assessments including interviews and laboratory testing will be done at study visits.

Inclusion criteria

• diagnosed with HIV
• Receive care at the Atlanta VA Healthcare System
• Age 18 or over
• Meet criteria for mild, moderate, or severe alcohol use disorder by the DSM-5 Alcohol Symptom Checklist and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) screen
• Have evidence of significant alcohol use: PEth > 20ng/ml
• Prescribed >=5 medications
• Have cell phone or reliable contact number
• Can provide written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Active engagement in formal alcohol treatment including medications for alcohol use disorder at the time of enrollment
• Self-report or laboratory test confirming pregnancy, nursing, or trying to conceive
• Life-threatening or unstable medical, surgical, or psychiatric condition that prohibits participation (including current or past intent to harm oneself or others within the prior 12 months and not receiving treatment)
• Untreated moderate to severe opioid use disorder
• Residence out of state
• Inability to read or understand English
• History of serious hypersensitivity or adverse reaction to study medication
• Taking potentially interactive medication(s) for diabetes
• BMI<23
• Diagnosis of type 1 Diabetes
• Personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, Severe gastrointestinal dysmotility, including gastroparesis, History of pancreatitis (does not pertain to patients for whom the cause of pancreatitis is known and no longer presents a risk), severe gallbladder disease
• Known Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy, severe Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy, clinically significant Macular Edema, or Cystoid Macular Edema
• Already prescribed the pilot medication at the time of study recruitment.