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Kriss M, Shingina A, Hamel S, Winder GS. Cannabis use in liver transplant candidates and recipients. Liver Transpl 2024; 30:530-543. [PMID: 38289264 DOI: 10.1097/lvt.0000000000000335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
The increasing legality and acceptance of cannabis sale and consumption across the United States has led to a measurable increase in cannabis use nationwide, including in liver transplant (LT) candidates and recipients. With over 75% of liver transplant recipients transplanted in states with legalized use of medicinal and/or recreational cannabis, liver transplant clinicians must have expertise in the assessment of cannabis use given its potential impact on clinical care. In this review, the authors provide an understanding of nomenclature and tools to assess cannabis use, highlight essential components to guide clinical policy development and implementation, and discuss the potential impacts of cannabis use on patients' transplant course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Kriss
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Colorado Center for Transplantation Care, Research and Education, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Alexandra Shingina
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Stephanie Hamel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Services, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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2
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Rubin JB, Aby ES, Barman P, Tincopa M. Opioid use and risks in candidates and recipients of liver transplant. Liver Transpl 2024:01445473-990000000-00369. [PMID: 38669598 DOI: 10.1097/lvt.0000000000000388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Opioid use is extremely prevalent among patients with cirrhosis and those who received liver transplant (LT), despite concerns regarding opioid-related risks in this population. While there are many theoretical risks of opioids in patients with hepatic dysfunction, there is limited evidence on the effect of opioid use on clinical outcomes in cirrhosis and patients before and after LT specifically. As a result, there is significant center-level variability in opioid-related practices and policies. The existing data-largely based on retrospective observational studies-do suggest that opioids are associated with increased health resource utilization pre-LT and post-LT and that they may precipitate HE in patients with cirrhosis and increase the risk of graft loss and death after LT. The strongest predictor of opioid use after LT is opioid use before transplant; thus, a focus on safe opioid use in the pretransplant and peritransplant periods is essential for minimizing opioid-related harms. We describe 3 strategies to guide LT providers including (1) improved characterization of pain, mental health symptoms, and opioid and polysubstance use; (2) minimization of opioid prescriptions for those at highest risk of adverse events; and (3) safe prescribing strategies for those who do use opioids and for the management of opioid use disorder. Ultimately, our goal is to improve the quality of life and transplant outcomes among patients with cirrhosis and those who received LT, particularly those living with concurrent pain, mental health, and substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica B Rubin
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Medicine, Gastroenterology Section, San Francisco VA Health Care System, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Aby
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Pranab Barman
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Monica Tincopa
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California-San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
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3
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Winder GS, Fernandez AC, Perumalswami PV, Mellinger JL, Clifton EG. Reexamining "psychosocial clearance": A procedural framework for psychosocial evaluation in liver transplantation. Liver Transpl 2024; 30:431-442. [PMID: 38009890 DOI: 10.1097/lvt.0000000000000306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Psychosocial and "nonmedical" phenomena are commonly encountered in liver transplantation (LT) evaluations. They are simultaneously crucial decision-making factors and some of the most difficult and controversial clinical matters clinicians confront. Epidemiology, societal trends, and the preponderance of psychological and behavioral factors underpinning common end-stage liver diseases ensure that LT teams will continue to encounter highly complex psychosocial patient presentations. Psychosocial policies, practices, and opinions vary widely among clinicians and LT centers. Liver clinicians already report insufficient psychosocial expertise, which creates a large gap between the stark need for psychosocial expansion, improvement, and innovation in LT and the lack of accompanying guidance on how to achieve it. While the clinical domains of an LT psychosocial evaluation have been well-described, few articles analyze the procedures by which teams determine candidates' "psychosocial clearance" and no conceptual frameworks exist. This article proposes a framework of core domains of psychosocial evaluation procedures, common pitfalls, and practical improvement strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Scott Winder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anne C Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Ponni V Perumalswami
- Department of Internal Medicine, Veterans Affairs, Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jessica L Mellinger
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Erin G Clifton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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4
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Fipps DC, Meyer R, Woods J, Watt K, Schneekloth T, Gifford J, Kolla BP. Clinical Utility and Impact of Phosphatidylethanol Testing in Liver Transplantation Evaluations. J Acad Consult Liaison Psychiatry 2024; 65:157-166. [PMID: 38042370 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaclp.2023.11.683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a serum biomarker that can detect alcohol use within the last 28 days with excellent sensitivity and specificity. Urinary ethyl glucuronide (uEtG) is commonly used in transplant settings to screen for alcohol use; however, it has several limitations relevant to liver transplantation. Transplant centers are beginning to regularly utilize PEth as part of the screening process for high-risk liver transplantation candidates although the clinical utility of uniform pre-transplant PEth testing is unclear. METHODS This was a retrospective chart review of all patients evaluated for liver transplantation from December 1, 2019, through May 31, 2022, at a large academic tertiary referral center utilizing uniform serum PEth and uEtG screening. Information regarding the patients' transplantation status, age, sex, race, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, and PEth levels was obtained. In those with a positive PEth, we examined if the result would have been detected with uEtG, identified a discrepancy from the documented patient report of last use, led to a change in the Psychosocial Assessment of Candidate for Transplantation score, or influenced the transplant selection committee's decision. RESULTS Our sample included 865 individuals (mean age = 55.20, 61.27% male and 82.54% white) with calculated Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium scores ranging from 6.43 to 50.65 (mean: 18.09; median: 16.46). Forty-eight patients were found to have a positive PEth (PEth range 20-1833); 75% of the sample had alcohol-associated liver disease. In 23 of 48 (47.91%) cases, the positive PEth identified alcohol use missed by a concomitant uEtG screen. A positive PEth test identified a discrepancy from patients' self-report in 29 (60.42%) cases and influenced the selection committee's decision in 28 cases (58.33%). CONCLUSION Uniform pretransplant PEth screening of liver transplant candidates at the time of initial evaluation identified alcohol use that would have been missed by uEtG testing, identified discrepancies from the patient's self-report, and influenced clinical decision-making in a significant number of cases. These findings support the use of uniform PEth screening in liver transplantation evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Fipps
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
| | - Rachel Meyer
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | | | - Kymberly Watt
- Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | | | - Jennifer Gifford
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
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5
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Winder GS, Mellinger JL. Liver transplant evaluation redux: Hope for reconsidering previously declined candidates with alcohol-associated liver disease. Liver Transpl 2024; 30:237-239. [PMID: 37934052 DOI: 10.1097/lvt.0000000000000295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Scott Winder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jessica L Mellinger
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Winder GS, Clifton EG, Denysenko L, DiChiara AM, Hathaway D, Perumalswami PV, Shenoy A, Suzuki J, Tareen K, Mellinger JL, Fernandez AC. "But I didn't drink!": What to do with discordant phosphatidylethanol results. Liver Transpl 2024; 30:213-222. [PMID: 37486958 DOI: 10.1097/lvt.0000000000000223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) teams must be adept at detecting, evaluating, and treating patients' alcohol use, given its prominence among psychological and behavioral phenomena which cause and contribute to liver diseases. Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a highly useful alcohol biomarker increasingly recommended for routine use in hepatology and LT. PEth is unique among alcohol biomarkers because of its wide detection window, high sensitivity and specificity, and the correlation of its numerical value with different patterns of alcohol use. Alongside myriad clinical opportunities in hepatology and LT, PEth also confers numerous challenges: little guidance exists about its clinical use; fearing loss of LT access and the reactions of their clinicians and families, candidates and recipients are incentivized to conceal their alcohol use; and liver clinicians report lack of expertise diagnosing and treating substance-related challenges. Discordance between patient self-reported alcohol use and toxicology is yet another common and particularly difficult circumstance. This article discusses the general toxicological properties of PEth; explores possible scenarios of concordance and discordance among PEth results, patient history, and self-reported drinking; and provides detailed clinical communication strategies to explore discordance with liver patients, a key aspect of its use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Scott Winder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Erin G Clifton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Lex Denysenko
- Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alex M DiChiara
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - David Hathaway
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ponni V Perumalswami
- Department of Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology Section, Veterans Affairs, Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Akhil Shenoy
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Joji Suzuki
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kinza Tareen
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jessica L Mellinger
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anne C Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Jophlin LL, Singal AK, Bataller R, Wong RJ, Sauer BG, Terrault NA, Shah VH. ACG Clinical Guideline: Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease. Am J Gastroenterol 2024; 119:30-54. [PMID: 38174913 PMCID: PMC11040545 DOI: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000002572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is the most common cause of advanced hepatic disease and frequent indication for liver transplantation worldwide. With harmful alcohol use as the primary risk factor, increasing alcohol use over the past decade has resulted in rapid growth of the ALD-related healthcare burden. The spectrum of ALD ranges from early asymptomatic liver injury to advanced disease with decompensation and portal hypertension. Compared with those with other etiologies of liver disease, patients with ALD progress faster and more often present at an advanced stage. A unique phenotype of advanced disease is alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) presenting with rapid onset or worsening of jaundice, and acute on chronic liver failure in severe forms conveying a 1-month mortality risk of 20%-50%. The model for end stage disease score is the most accurate score to stratify AH severity (>20 defined as severe disease). Corticosteroids are currently the only available therapeutic with proven efficacy for patients with severe AH, providing survival benefit at 1 month in 50%-60% of patients. Abstinence of alcohol use, a crucial determinant of long-term outcomes, is challenging to achieve in ALD patients with concurrent alcohol use disorder (AUD). As patients with ALD are rarely treated for AUD, strategies are needed to overcome barriers to AUD treatment in patients with ALD and to promote a multidisciplinary integrated care model with hepatology, addiction medicine providers, and social workers to comprehensively manage the dual pathologies of liver disease and of AUD. Liver transplantation, a definitive treatment option in patients with advanced cirrhosis, should be considered in selected patients with AH, who are unresponsive to medical therapy and have a low risk of relapse to posttransplant alcohol use. Level of evidence and strength of recommendations were evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations system. This guideline was developed under the American College of Gastroenterology Practice Parameters Committee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loretta L. Jophlin
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Louisville Health, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Ashwani K. Singal
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of South Dakota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Ramon Bataller
- Liver Unit, Department of Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Robert J. Wong
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Bryan G. Sauer
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Norah A. Terrault
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Vijay H. Shah
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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Varshney M, Dhingra K, Choudhury A. Psychosocial Assessment and Management-related Issues Among Liver Transplant Recipients. J Clin Exp Hepatol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2023.07.414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
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9
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Winder GS, Clifton EG, Fernandez AC, MacEachern M, Andrews S, Perumalswami P, DiMartini AF, Mellinger JL. Definition and measurement of alcohol-associated insight in early liver transplantation for acute alcohol-associated hepatitis: A systematic review. Liver Transpl 2023; 29:757-767. [PMID: 37016758 DOI: 10.1097/lvt.0000000000000144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol accounts for a large disease burden in hepatology and liver transplantation (LT) and across the globe. Clinical evaluations and decisions about LT candidacy are challenging because they rely on detailed psychosocial assessments and interpretations of psychiatric and substance use disorder data, which often must occur rapidly according to the acuity of end-stage liver disease. Such difficulties commonly occur during the process of candidate selection and liver allocation, particularly during early LT (eLT) in patients with acute alcohol-associated hepatitis (AAH). Patients with AAH commonly have very recent or active substance use, high short-term mortality, psychiatric comorbidities, and compressed evaluation and treatment timetables. LT clinicians report that patients' alcohol-associated insight (AAI) is among the most relevant psychosocial data in this population, yet no studies exist examining how LT teams define and use AAI in eLT or its effect on clinical outcomes. In April 2022, we searched Ovid MEDLINE, Elsevier Embase, EBSCOhost PsycInfo and CINAHL, and Wiley Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for reports describing AAH populations who underwent eLT, which also described psychosocial evaluation parameters. The searches retrieved 1603 unique reports. After eligibility screening, 8 were included in the qualitative analysis. This systematic review reveals that AAI is a poorly defined construct that is not measured in a standardized way. Yet it is a commonly cited parameter in articles that describe the psychosocial evaluation and decision-making of patients undergoing eLT for AAH. This article also discusses the general challenges of assessing AAI during eLT for AAH, existing AAI definitions and rating scales, how AAI has been used to date in the broader hepatology and LT literature, and future areas for clinical and research progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Scott Winder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Erin G Clifton
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anne C Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Mark MacEachern
- Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Sarah Andrews
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Ponni Perumalswami
- Gastroenterology Section, Veterans Affairs, Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Andrea F DiMartini
- Departments of Psychiatry, Surgery, and Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jessica L Mellinger
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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10
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Mellinger JL, Fernandez AC, Winder GS. Management of alcohol use disorder in patients with chronic liver disease. Hepatol Commun 2023; 7:e00145. [PMID: 37314739 DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) rates have risen dramatically in the United States, resulting in increasing rates of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), but many patients struggle to access alcohol use treatment. AUD treatment improves outcomes, including mortality, and represents the most urgent means by which care can be improved for those with liver disease (including ALD and others) and AUD. AUD care for those with liver disease involves 3 steps: detecting alcohol use, diagnosing AUD, and directing patients to alcohol treatment. Detecting alcohol use can involve questioning during the clinical interview, the use of standardized alcohol use surveys, and alcohol biomarkers. Identifying and diagnosing AUD are interview-based processes that should ideally be performed by a trained addiction professional, but nonaddiction clinicians can use surveys to determine the severity of hazardous drinking. Referral to formal AUD treatment should be made, especially where more severe AUD is suspected or identified. Therapeutic modalities are numerous and include different forms of one-on-one psychotherapy, such as motivational enhancement therapy or cognitive behavior therapy, group therapy, community mutual aid societies (such as Alcoholics Anonymous), inpatient addiction treatment, and relapse prevention medications. Finally, integrated care approaches that build strong relationships between addiction professionals and hepatologists or medical providers caring for those with liver disease are crucial to improving care for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L Mellinger
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anne C Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - G Scott Winder
- Department of Psychiatry, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Surgery, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Neurology, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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11
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Winder GS, Clifton EG, Perumalswami P, Mellinger JL. The art of interprofessional psychosocial communication: Optimizing patient interfaces with psychiatric specialists in liver transplantation. Transplant Rev (Orlando) 2022; 36:100728. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trre.2022.100728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Winder GS, Andrews SR, Banerjee AG, Hussain F, Ivkovic A, Kuntz K, Omary L, Shenoy A, Thant T, VandenBerg A, Zimbrean P. Cannabinoids and solid organ transplantation: Psychiatric perspectives and recommendations. Transplant Rev (Orlando) 2022; 36:100715. [PMID: 35853383 DOI: 10.1016/j.trre.2022.100715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoid use in patients seeking solid organ transplantation (SOT) is an important and unsettled matter which all transplantation clinicians regularly encounter. It is also a multifaceted, interprofessional issue, difficult for any specialty alone to adequately address in a research article or during clinical care. Such uncertainty lends itself to bias for or against cannabinoid use accompanied by inconsistent policies and procedures. Scientific literature in SOT regarding cannabinoids often narrowly examines the issue and exists mostly in liver and kidney transplantation. Published recommendations from professional societies are mosaics of vagueness and specificity mirroring the ongoing dilemma. The cannabinoid information SOT clinicians need for clinical care may require data and perspectives from diverse medical literature which are rarely synthesized. SOT teams may not be adequately staffed or trained to address various neuropsychiatric cannabinoid effects and risks in patients. In this article, authors from US transplantation centers conduct a systematized review of the few existing studies regarding clinician perceptions, use rates, and clinical impact of cannabinoid use in SOT patients; collate representative professional society guidance on the topic; draw from diverse medical literature bases to detail facets of cannabinoid use in psychiatry and addiction pertinent to all transplantation clinicians; provide basic clinical and policy recommendations; and indicate areas of future study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah R Andrews
- Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Filza Hussain
- Stanford University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Ana Ivkovic
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kristin Kuntz
- Ohio State University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Lesley Omary
- Vanderbilt University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Akhil Shenoy
- Columbia University Department of Psychiatry, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Thida Thant
- University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Amy VandenBerg
- University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Paula Zimbrean
- Yale University Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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13
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Winder GS, Fernandez AC, Mellinger JL. Integrated Care of Alcohol-Related Liver Disease. J Clin Exp Hepatol 2022; 12:1069-1082. [PMID: 35814517 PMCID: PMC9257883 DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2022.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is the medical manifestation of alcohol use disorder, a prevalent psychiatric condition. Acute and chronic manifestations of ALD have risen in recent years especially in young people and ALD is now a leading indication of liver transplantation (LT) worldwide. Such alarming trends raise urgent and unanswered questions about how medical and psychiatric care can be sustainably integrated to better manage ALD patients before and after LT. METHODS Critical evaluation of the interprofessional implications of broad and multifaceted ALD pathophysiology, general principles of and barriers to interprofessional teamwork and care integration, and measures that clinicians and institutions can implement for improved and integrated ALD care. RESULTS The breadth of ALD pathophysiology, and its numerous medical and psychiatric comorbidities, ensures that no single medical or psychiatric discipline is adequately trained and equipped to manage the disease alone. CONCLUSIONS Early models of feasible ALD care integration have emerged in recent years but much more work is needed to develop and study them. The future of ALD care is an integrated approach led jointly by interprofessional medical and psychiatric clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald S. Winder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA,Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA,Department of Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA,Address for correspondence. Gerald Scott Winder, Clinical Associate Professor, Departments of Psychiatry, Surgery, and Neurology, University of Michigan, F6319 University Hospital South, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr., SPC 5259, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Anne C. Fernandez
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Greenberg R, Goldberg A, Anthony S, Buchman DZ, Delaney S, Gruben V, Holdsworth S, Le Foll B, Leung M, Lien D, Lynch MJ, Selzner N, Chandler JA, Fortin MC. Canadian Society of Transplantation White Paper: Ethical and Legal Considerations for Alcohol and Cannabis Use in Solid Organ Listing and Allocation. Transplantation 2021; 105:1957-1964. [PMID: 33587429 PMCID: PMC8376271 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0000000000003618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol and cannabis use as a contraindication to organ transplantation is a controversial issue. Until recently, patients in Canada with alcohol-associated liver disease were required to demonstrate abstinence for 6 mo to receive a liver transplant. There is no equivalent rule that is applied consistently for cannabis use. There is some evidence that alcohol and cannabis use disorder pretransplant could be associated with worse outcomes posttransplantation. However, early liver transplantation for patients with alcohol-associated liver disease in France and in the United States has led to challenges of the 6-mo abstinence rule in Canada in the media. It has also resulted in several legal challenges arguing that the rule violates human rights laws regarding discrimination in the provision of medical services and that the rule is also unconstitutional (this challenge is still before the court). Recent legalization of cannabis use for adults in Canada has led to questions about the appropriateness of limiting transplant access based on cannabis use. The ethics committee of the Canadian Society of Transplantation was asked to provide an ethical analysis of cannabis and alcohol abstinence policies. Our conclusions were as follows: neither cannabis use nor the 6-mo abstinence rule for alcohol use should be an absolute contraindication to transplantation, and transplant could be offered to selected patients, further research should be conducted to ensure evidence-based policies; and the transplant community has a duty not to perpetuate stigma associated with alcohol and cannabis use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Greenberg
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Aviva Goldberg
- Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Samantha Anthony
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel Z. Buchman
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Vanessa Gruben
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sandra Holdsworth
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Bernard Le Foll
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Dale Lien
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Marie-Josee Lynch
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Toronto General Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nazia Selzner
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Toronto General Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer A. Chandler
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Marie-Chantal Fortin
- Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Centre de recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, QC, Canada
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15
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Likhitsup A, Saeed N, Winder GS, Hassan A, Sonnenday CJ, Fontana RJ. Marijuana use among adult liver transplant candidates and recipients. Clin Transplant 2021; 35:e14312. [PMID: 33829569 DOI: 10.1111/ctr.14312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Data regarding marijuana (MJ) use among liver transplant (LT) candidates are limited. We set out to determine the incidence and pre- and post-LT outcomes of adult LT candidates with a self-reported history of MJ use. METHODS Baseline clinical characteristics, waitlist, and post-LT outcomes of adult LT candidates from January 2010 to March 2017 were compared. RESULTS Among 2690 LT candidates, 630(23%) and 298(11%) reported a history of MJ use and use within the past 12 months, respectively. Although the proportion of MJ users increased over time(β = .76, p = .03), the proportion listed and transplanted did not change. Listing for LT increased with male (OR 1.24, 95% CI 11.01-1.52), MELD score (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.15), HCC (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.39-2.41) but decreased among MJ users (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.50-0.91, p = .01). The median time to listing was longer among MJ users compared to non-users (115 vs. 87 days, p < .0005). Post-LT survival was similar in 83 MJ users and 306 non-users. CONCLUSION The proportion of MJ users among LT candidates is increasing. MJ users have a greater burden of psychosocial issues which may contribute to longer evaluations and lower rate of LT listing. Post-LT survival was not impacted by self-reported MJ use history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Likhitsup
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Naba Saeed
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Gerald Scott Winder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ammar Hassan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Robert J Fontana
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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16
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Mercurio I, Politi P, Mezzetti E, Agostinelli F, Troiano G, Pellegrino A, Gili A, Melai P, Rettagliata G, Mercurio U, Sannicandro D, Lancia M, Bacci M. Ethyl Glucuronide and Ethyl Sulphate in Urine: Caution in their use as markers of recent alcohol use. Alcohol Alcohol 2021; 56:201-209. [PMID: 33170266 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agaa113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To clarify the role of the ethanol metabolites, ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS), in monitoring alcohol consumption. METHOD We recruited 7 female and 17 male volunteers who were instructed to consume a quantity of beer (containing 48 gm ethanol) with food in one session. We examined urinary excretion of EtG and EtS over time and looked for correlations between the concentrations of the metabolites EtG and EtS. RESULTS EtG concentrations in urine varied between 0.026 and 430.372 μg/ml with average values between 11.85 μg/ml (SD 19.75), 30 min after alcohol intake, and 100.39 μg/ml (SD 101.34), 4.5 h after alcohol intake. EtS urinary concentration ranged from 0.006 to 101.432 μg/ml with average values between 4.77 μg/ml (SD 5.42), 30 min after alcohol intake, and 30.14 μg/ml (SD 27.20), 4.5 h after alcohol intake. Spearman's test showed that urinary EtG and EtS correlated significantly at several time points. CONCLUSION The great interindividual variability in their excretion suggests caution in the use of urinary measurement of these metabolites in forensic investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Mercurio
- Section of Legal Medicine, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | - Pamela Politi
- Section of Legal Medicine, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | | | - Fausto Agostinelli
- Section of Legal Medicine, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | | | | | - Alessio Gili
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Hygiene and Public Health Section, University of Perugia, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | - Paola Melai
- Hospital of Perugia, Department of Surgical and Biomedical Sciences ,Section of Forensic Medicine, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | | | - Umberto Mercurio
- Hospital of Potenza, Nephrology and Dialysis Division, Potenza 85100, Italy
| | | | - Massimo Lancia
- Section of Legal Medicine, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia 06123, Italy
| | - Mauro Bacci
- Section of Legal Medicine, Forensic Science and Sports Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia 06123, Italy
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17
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Majumder P, Sarkar S. A Review of the Prevalence of Illicit Substance Use in Solid-Organ Transplant Candidates and the Effects of Illicit Substance Use on Solid-Organ Transplant Treatment Outcomes. Cureus 2020; 12:e8986. [PMID: 32775068 PMCID: PMC7402423 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.8986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Solid-organ transplantation is one of the significant advances in the medical field that have improved the quality of life and survival rates of numerous patients with end-organ dysfunction. Substance use is a common condition of individuals who are in need of solid-organ transplantation. The implications of substance use on solid-organ transplants are gaining increasing attention over the past decade. The current review seeks to explore the prevalence rate of illicit substance use among those who receive solid-organ transplantation (pre and post-transplant) and whether illicit substance use before solid-organ transplantation affects the outcome of solid-organ transplants. We searched the Medline database for all the articles available in English on the prevalence of substance use in the context of solid-organ transplant and the effect on outcome measures. We found 21 relevant articles. It appears that substance use is fairly common among solid-organ transplant candidates, with cannabis being the most common substance of abuse. A heterogeneous sample precludes the drawing of a clear-cut conclusion. But it appears that substance use may affect various outcomes of solid-organ transplants. The existing literature may not be sufficient to adequately assess the risk but limited evidence indicates that illicit substance use, particularly cannabis use, may not affect the overall survival following a solid-organ transplant.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Siddharth Sarkar
- Addiction, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, IND
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18
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Luchsinger W, Zimbrean P. Systematic Review: Treatment for Addictive Disorder in Transplant Patients. Am J Addict 2020; 29:445-462. [PMID: 32410396 DOI: 10.1111/ajad.13054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The number of patients with substance use disorders in need for organ transplantation is expected to increase. Patients with addictive disorders are considered a higher risk of negative outcomes after organ transplantation due to the impact of substance use upon medical status and adherence with treatment. The goal of this systematic review was to assess the current literature on treatment for addiction transplant candidates and recipients. METHODS We conducted a literature search within four databases PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO for publications dated 1/1/1988 to 12/31/2018. RESULTS Out of 3108 articles identified through database screening, 39 were included in the qualitative synthesis. Sixteen studies described addiction treatment in groups over five patients. All the articles included liver transplant patients, with only two studies including patients who needed a kidney or a heart transplant. Nine articles described treatment of alcohol use disorder exclusively, five focused on treatment of opioid use disorders. Although 9 of 16 studies were prospective, the variability of the treatment intervention, outcome measures, and control group when applicable prohibited a meaningful meta-analysis of the results. Eight articles that described the case reports are analyzed separately. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Promising treatment options for alcohol use disorder have been reported but more studies are needed to confirm their effectiveness and their feasibility. Methadone appears effective for opioid disorder in transplant patients. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review on the treatment of addictive disorders in transplant patients. (Am J Addict 2020;29:445-462).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paula Zimbrean
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.,Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
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19
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Halpern SJ, Walls DO, Gupta A, Lustig A, Weinrieb R, Levine MH, Abt PL. Application of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to detect underreported controlled substance use in patients evaluated for liver transplant. Am J Transplant 2019; 19:3398-3404. [PMID: 31355506 DOI: 10.1111/ajt.15548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Presurgical controlled substance use predicts postoperative complications, increased readmissions, and mortality. We aimed to examine if a Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) would detect underreported controlled substance use in patients undergoing liver transplant evaluation. We performed a retrospective cohort study at a tertiary referral center of patients undergoing liver transplant evaluation in 2017. PDMP reviews were performed on all 360 patients and urine drug screen (UDS) results were reviewed when available to evaluate dispensed controlled substances. These results were compared to the patient's self-reported medication list at evaluation to identify any underreporting. The primary outcome was the number of self-reported controlled substance discrepancies on the medication list identified by PDMP and UDS at the time of evaluation. Among the 360 patients, 87 (24%) had a discrepancy where PDMP revealed a controlled substance prescription that the patient did not report on their medication list. Seventy-seven (67/87) of these discrepancies involved opiates. Of the 360 patients, 219 (61%) had a negative UDS, but 70 (32%) of these patients had at least one controlled substance listed on PDMP. PDMP is a promising screening tool when used in conjunction with the UDS for detecting underreported controlled substance use in liver transplant candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha J Halpern
- Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - David O Walls
- Department of Surgery, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Anuranita Gupta
- Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Alexa Lustig
- Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert Weinrieb
- Department of Psychiatry, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Matthew H Levine
- Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Peter L Abt
- Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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20
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Schult A, Stokkeland K, Ericzon BG, Hultcrantz R, Franck J, Stål P, Castedal M. Alcohol and drug use prior to liver transplantation: more common than expected in patients with non-alcoholic liver disease. Scand J Gastroenterol 2019; 54:1146-1154. [PMID: 31453745 DOI: 10.1080/00365521.2019.1656772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Objective: Liver transplantation (LT) is a life-saving procedure for patients with end-stage liver disease, acute liver failure or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with known alcoholic liver cirrhosis (ALC) are usually assessed by an addiction specialist, but patients with other liver diseases may also exhibit harmful drinking. This study aims to assess the drinking habits in LT-recipients with or without a diagnosis of ALC. Patients and methods: Between April 2012 and December 2015, 190 LT-recipients were interviewed using the Lifetime Drinking History (LDH) and the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Patients were categorized according to their diagnoses: ALC (group A, n = 39), HCC or hepatitis C (group B, n = 56) or other liver diseases (group C, n = 95). Data were analysed using descriptive statistic methods. Results: Fifteen of 95 patients (15.8%) in group C - a cohort without suspected addiction problems - had either alcohol consumption or binge drinking within the upper quartile of the overall cohort. The aetiology of liver disease in this subgroup included mainly cholestatic and cryptogenic liver disease. Illicit drugs had been used by 35% of all patients. Cannabis and amphetamine were the most common drugs and had the longest duration of regular use. Conclusions: LT candidates without known alcohol or drug use may have a clinically significant consumption of alcohol and previous illicit drug use. Efforts should be put on identification of these patients during LT evaluation. The use of structured questionnaires such as the ASI and the LDH could facilitate detection of alcohol and drug problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schult
- The Transplant Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital , Gothenburg , Sweden.,Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
| | - Knut Stokkeland
- Department of Medicine, Visby Hospital , Visby , Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Bo-Göran Ericzon
- Division of Transplantation Surgery, CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden.,Department of Transplantation Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Rolf Hultcrantz
- Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Johan Franck
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Per Stål
- Department of Upper GI Diseases, Unit of Liver Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.,Department of Medicine, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Maria Castedal
- The Transplant Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital , Gothenburg , Sweden.,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , Sweden
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21
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Likhitsup A, Hassan A, Mellinger J, Askari F, Winder GS, Saeed N, Sonnenday CJ, Sharma P, Fontana RJ. Impact of a Prohibitive Versus Restrictive Tobacco Policy on Liver Transplant Candidate Outcomes. Liver Transpl 2019; 25:1165-1176. [PMID: 31116906 DOI: 10.1002/lt.25497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Tobacco use has been associated with poorer outcomes after liver transplantation (LT). Our study examined the effect on LT listing outcomes of a newly implemented policy prohibiting the use of all tobacco products compared with a prior restrictive policy. Medical records of consecutive adult patients evaluated for LT from January 2010 to July 2013 (era 1, n = 1344) and August 2013 to March 2017 (era 2, n = 1350) were reviewed. The proportion of LT candidates listed was the primary outcome. The mean age of the 2694 LT candidates was 54 ± 11 years, 60% were male, and the mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was 15 ± 7. Although the proportion of LT candidates who were smokers was significantly higher in era 2 (33% versus 23%; P < 0.005), the proportion of smokers listed for LT remained stable (13% versus 17%; P = 0.25). However, there were more smokers excluded for ongoing tobacco use in era 2 compared with era 1 (9.6% versus 4.4%; P = 0.001). Factors independently associated with LT listing included a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, being married, private insurance, absence of psychiatry comorbidity, and absence of tobacco, marijuana, or opiate use but evaluation during era 2 was not associated with LT listing. However, the median time to listing significantly increased over time, especially in smokers (from 65 to 122 days; P = 0.001), and this trend was independently associated with evaluation during era 2, a lower MELD score, not having children, and a lower level of education (P < 0.05). In conclusion, despite an increasing incidence of active smokers being referred for LT evaluation, the proportion of smoker candidates listed for LT was unchanged after instituting our prohibitive tobacco use policy. However, the time to get on the waiting list for smokers who were eventually listed was significantly longer due to the need to achieve complete tobacco cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Likhitsup
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Ammar Hassan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Jessica Mellinger
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Frederick Askari
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Gerald S Winder
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Naba Saeed
- Department of Internal Medicine, Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn, MI
| | | | - Pratima Sharma
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Robert J Fontana
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
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22
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Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is common in alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and intrinsic to its pathophysiology. Optimal treatment requires a multidisciplinary team approach and a working alliance between patients and providers. Diagnosing AUD involves a combination of thorough history taking, physical examination, screening questionnaires, and alcohol biomarkers. Alcohol biomarkers have advantages and limitations of use of which clinicians should be aware. AUD treatment is effective, multifaceted, and can be tailored to each individual. Available treatment modalities are myriad: motivational enhancement therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, 12-step facilitation, group therapies, intensive outpatient programs, inpatient and residential treatment, and relapse prevention medications.
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23
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Schieber K, Lindner M, Sowa JP, Gerken G, Scherbaum N, Kahraman A, Canbay A, Erim Y. Self-reports on symptoms of alcohol abuse: liver transplant patients versus rehabilitation therapy patients. Prog Transplant 2018; 25:203-9. [PMID: 26308778 DOI: 10.7182/pit2015618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Context-Self-report measures often underestimate the severity of symptoms of alcohol abuse. It is generally supposed that patients who abuse alcohol tend to minimize their drinking behavior. However, the validity of self-reports also can be influenced by external factors such as the setting. Objective-To investigate how the setting influences self-reporting on symptoms of alcohol abuse in patients with alcoholic liver disease. Design, Setting and Participants-Cross-sectional study in patients before liver transplant (n = 40) and patients in rehabilitation therapy (n = 44). Main Outcome Measure-Scores on the Munich Alcoholism Test, which consists of a self-report-scale and an expert-rating scale. Results-The discrepancy in scores on the self-report scale and the expert-rating scale differed significantly between patients before liver transplant and patients in rehabilitation therapy. Furthermore, patients in the rehabilitation therapy group reported higher alcoholism scores on the self-report questionnaire than did patients before liver transplant, but the groups did not differ in the expert evaluation value. Conclusion-The transplant setting seems to evoke minimizing in self-reports in patients with alcohol abuse. Minimizing or denying symptoms of alcohol abuse does not seem to be a specific characteristic of persons with alcohol abuse, as it is also caused by the circumstances. In the transplant setting, more attention should be given to the psychologically difficult situation for patients with potential alcohol abuse. Implementation of psychoeducational interventions in the treatment process before transplant could be a first step toward reaching this goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Schieber
- University Hospital of Erlangen (KS, YE), University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen (ML, J-PS, GG, NS, AK, AC), Germany
| | - Marion Lindner
- University Hospital of Erlangen (KS, YE), University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen (ML, J-PS, GG, NS, AK, AC), Germany
| | - Jan-Peter Sowa
- University Hospital of Erlangen (KS, YE), University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen (ML, J-PS, GG, NS, AK, AC), Germany
| | - Guido Gerken
- University Hospital of Erlangen (KS, YE), University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen (ML, J-PS, GG, NS, AK, AC), Germany
| | - Norbert Scherbaum
- University Hospital of Erlangen (KS, YE), University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen (ML, J-PS, GG, NS, AK, AC), Germany
| | - Alisan Kahraman
- University Hospital of Erlangen (KS, YE), University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen (ML, J-PS, GG, NS, AK, AC), Germany
| | - Ali Canbay
- University Hospital of Erlangen (KS, YE), University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen (ML, J-PS, GG, NS, AK, AC), Germany
| | - Yesim Erim
- University Hospital of Erlangen (KS, YE), University Hospital, University Duisburg-Essen (ML, J-PS, GG, NS, AK, AC), Germany
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24
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Singal AK, Bataller R, Ahn J, Kamath PS, Shah VH. ACG Clinical Guideline: Alcoholic Liver Disease. Am J Gastroenterol 2018; 113:175-194. [PMID: 29336434 PMCID: PMC6524956 DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2017.469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 463] [Impact Index Per Article: 77.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) comprises a clinical-histologic spectrum including fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis (AH), and cirrhosis with its complications. Most patients are diagnosed at advanced stages and data on the prevalence and profile of patients with early disease are limited. Diagnosis of ALD requires documentation of chronic heavy alcohol use and exclusion of other causes of liver disease. Prolonged abstinence is the most effective strategy to prevent disease progression. AH presents with rapid onset or worsening of jaundice, and in severe cases may transition to acute on chronic liver failure when the risk for mortality, depending on the number of extra-hepatic organ failures, may be as high as 20-50% at 1 month. Corticosteroids provide short-term survival benefit in about half of treated patients with severe AH and long-term mortality is related to severity of underlying liver disease and is dependent on abstinence from alcohol. General measures in patients hospitalized with ALD include inpatient management of liver disease complications, management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, surveillance for infections and early effective antibiotic therapy, nutritional supplementation, and treatment of the underlying alcohol-use disorder. Liver transplantation, a definitive treatment option in patients with advanced alcoholic cirrhosis, may also be considered in selected patients with AH cases, who do not respond to medical therapy. There is a clinical unmet need to develop more effective and safer therapies for patients with ALD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwani K. Singal
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine , Birmingham , Alabama , USA
| | - Ramon Bataller
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Liver Research Center , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania , USA
| | - Joseph Ahn
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Oregon Health and Science University , Portland , Oregon , USA
| | - Patrick S. Kamath
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester , Minnesota ,USA
| | - Vijay H. Shah
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester , Minnesota ,USA
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25
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Donnadieu-Rigole H, Perney P, Ursic-Bedoya J, Faure S, Pageaux GP. Addictive behaviors in liver transplant recipients: The real problem? World J Hepatol 2017; 9:953-958. [PMID: 28839515 PMCID: PMC5550760 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v9.i22.953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver transplantation (LT) is the gold standard treatment for end-stage liver disease. Whatever the primary indication of LT, substance abuse after surgery may decrease survival rates and quality of life. Prevalence of severe alcohol relapse is between 11 and 26%, and reduces life expectancy regardless of the primary indication of LT. Many patients on waiting lists for LT are smokers and this is a major risk factor for both malignant tumors and cardiovascular events post-surgery. The aim of this review is to describe psychoactive substance consumption after LT, and to assess the impact on liver transplant recipients. This review describes data about alcohol and illicit drug use by transplant recipients and suggests guidelines for behavior management after surgery. The presence of an addiction specialist in a LT team seems to be very important.
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26
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Donnadieu-Rigole H, Olive L, Nalpas B, Winter A, Ursic-Bedoya J, Faure S, Pageaux GP, Perney P. Follow-Up of Alcohol Consumption After Liver Transplantation: Interest of an Addiction Team? Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 41:165-170. [PMID: 27936489 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol relapses after liver transplantation (LT) constitute a critical issue. Because there is no widely accepted definition of LT, its prevalence varies from 7 to 95% across studies. Only a severe relapse, the frequency of which is estimated to be 11 to 26%, decreases life expectancy after 5 years of LT and requires specific care. To improve the early identification of alcohol consumption among transplanted patients, liver transplant teams may be helped by input from an addiction team. Nevertheless, added benefit of involvement by addiction specialists in treating posttransplant patients has not been demonstrated. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the evaluation of the alcohol consumption after LT performed routinely during the transplant consultation or obtained from a specific addiction consultation. METHODS This was a prospective single-site study. Patients were seen consecutively by their hepatologist and by an addiction specialist, and they completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C). Thus, the patient's alcohol status was assessed using 3 different sources of information: the hepatologist's interview, the AUDIT-C score, and the addiction specialist visit. RESULTS One hundred forty-one patients were consecutively evaluated. Alcohol consumption was identified by the hepatologist in 31 patients (21.9%), in 52 (36.8%) using the AUDIT-C questionnaire, and in 58 (41.1%) by the addiction specialist. The 31 patients concerned reported an average of 6.5 alcohol units/wk to the transplant physician, a number which was significantly greater (p = 0.001) by 8.6 units/wk when they were interviewed by the addiction specialist. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the clinical utility of a systematic addiction consultation among liver transplant patients, irrespective of the reason for transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hélène Donnadieu-Rigole
- Department of Addictology, Saint-Eloi Hospital, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,INSERM, U1183, IRMB, Saint-Eloi Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Laetitia Olive
- Department of Addictology, Saint-Eloi Hospital, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Bertrand Nalpas
- Department of Addictology, CHU Carémeau, Nîmes, France.,DISC Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Audrey Winter
- Laboratory of Biostatistics, Epidemiology Clinical Research and Health Economics, IURC, EA2415, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - José Ursic-Bedoya
- Department of Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Stéphanie Faure
- Department of Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Georges-Philippe Pageaux
- Department of Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,University of Montpellier, Montpellier, Herault, France
| | - Pascal Perney
- Department of Addictology, CHU Carémeau, Nîmes, France.,University of Montpellier, Montpellier, Herault, France
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27
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Staufer K, Yegles M. Biomarkers for detection of alcohol consumption in liver transplantation. World J Gastroenterol 2016; 22:3725-3734. [PMID: 27076757 PMCID: PMC4814735 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i14.3725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcoholic liver disease is an established, yet controversial, indication for liver transplantation. Although an abstinence period of up to 6 mo prior to transplantation is mandatory, alcohol relapse after transplantation is a common event. In case of recurrence of heavy drinking, graft survival is significantly impaired. Guidelines on detection and surveillance of alcohol consumption in this patient cohort are lacking. This review summarizes the challenge of patient selection as well as the current knowledge on established and novel alcohol biomarkers with special focus on liver transplant candidates and recipients.
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Wurst FM, Thon N, Yegles M, Schrück A, Preuss UW, Weinmann W. Ethanol Metabolites: Their Role in the Assessment of Alcohol Intake. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 39:2060-72. [DOI: 10.1111/acer.12851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Friedrich M. Wurst
- Paracelsus Medical University; Salzburg Austria
- Center for Interdisciplinary Addiction Research; University of Hamburg; Hamburg Germany
| | | | - Michel Yegles
- Service de Toxicologie; Laboratoire National de Sante; Luxembourg Luxembourg
| | - Alexandra Schrück
- Institute of Forensic Medicine; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
| | - Ulrich W. Preuss
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine; University of Halle; Halle Germany
| | - Wolfgang Weinmann
- Institute of Forensic Medicine; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
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29
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Nanau RM, Neuman MG. Biomolecules and Biomarkers Used in Diagnosis of Alcohol Drinking and in Monitoring Therapeutic Interventions. Biomolecules 2015; 5:1339-85. [PMID: 26131978 PMCID: PMC4598755 DOI: 10.3390/biom5031339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Revised: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The quantitative, measurable detection of drinking is important for the successful treatment of alcohol misuse in transplantation of patients with alcohol disorders, people living with human immunodeficiency virus that need to adhere to medication, and special occupational hazard offenders, many of whom continually deny drinking. Their initial misconduct usually leads to medical problems associated with drinking, impulsive social behavior, and drunk driving. The accurate identification of alcohol consumption via biochemical tests contributes significantly to the monitoring of drinking behavior. METHODS A systematic review of the current methods used to measure biomarkers of alcohol consumption was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar databases (2010-2015). The names of the tests have been identified. The methods and publications that correlate between the social instruments and the biochemical tests were further investigated. There is a clear need for assays standardization to ensure the use of these biochemical tests as routine biomarkers. FINDINGS Alcohol ingestion can be measured using a breath test. Because alcohol is rapidly eliminated from the circulation, the time for detection by this analysis is in the range of hours. Alcohol consumption can alternatively be detected by direct measurement of ethanol concentration in blood or urine. Several markers have been proposed to extend the interval and sensitivities of detection, including ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in urine, phosphatidylethanol in blood, and ethyl glucuronide and fatty acid ethyl esters in hair, among others. Moreover, there is a need to correlate the indirect biomarker carbohydrate deficient transferrin, which reflects longer lasting consumption of higher amounts of alcohol, with serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, another long term indirect biomarker that is routinely used and standardized in laboratory medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radu M Nanau
- In Vitro Drug Safety and Biotechnology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A3, Canada.
| | - Manuela G Neuman
- In Vitro Drug Safety and Biotechnology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A3, Canada.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A3, Canada.
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30
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Erim Y, Böttcher M, Schieber K, Lindner M, Klein C, Paul A, Beckebaum S, Mayr A, Helander A. Feasibility and Acceptability of an Alcohol Addiction Therapy Integrated in a Transplant Center for Patients Awaiting Liver Transplantation. Alcohol Alcohol 2015; 51:40-6. [PMID: 26124208 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agv075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/04/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS To evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of an addiction program within the setting of liver transplantation, with classification of behavior change techniques used to reduce excessive drinking. METHOD Patients with alcohol-related liver disease (N = 100) participated in a manualized addiction group therapy over 12 sessions, pre-transplantation. Relapses were identified by measurement of urinary ethyl glucuronide (EtG). RESULTS Two groups were identified according to the frequency of participation: completers (n = 42) vs. drop-outs (n = 58). A total of 16.5% of the samples of completers in comparison to 30.5% of the samples of drop-outs tested positive for EtG (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that implementation of an addiction therapy program during the waiting time might help to limit the frequency of drinking. These patients appeared often to under-report their alcohol consumption; including a biomarker such as urinary EtG in such settings is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesim Erim
- Department of Psychosomatic and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, University Hospital of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Katharina Schieber
- Department of Psychosomatic and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, University Hospital of Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Marion Lindner
- Department of Psychosomatic and Psychotherapeutic Medicine, University Hospital of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Christian Klein
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Andreas Paul
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Susanne Beckebaum
- Department of Transplant Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Andreas Mayr
- Department of Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Anders Helander
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
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31
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Abstract
Alcohol misuse is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although clinical history, examination, and the use of self-report questionnaires may identify subjects with harmful patterns of alcohol use, denial or under-reporting of alcohol intake is common. Existing biomarkers for detecting alcohol misuse include measurement of blood or urine ethanol for acute alcohol consumption, and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and gamma-glutamyl transferase for chronic alcohol misuse. There is a need for a biomarker that can detect excessive alcohol consumption in the timeframe between 1 day and several weeks. Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a direct metabolite of ethanol detectable in urine for up to 90 h and longer in hair. Because EtG has high specificity for excess alcohol intake, it has great potential for use in detecting "binge" drinking. Using urine or hair, this noninvasive marker has a role in a variety of clinical and forensic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie E Walsham
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Lewisham, London, United Kingdom
| | - Roy A Sherwood
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom.
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32
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Wurst FM, Thon N, Weinmann W, Yegles M, Preuss U. [What ethanol metabolites as biological markers tell us about alcohol use]. Wien Med Wochenschr 2013; 164:25-33. [PMID: 24322386 DOI: 10.1007/s10354-013-0254-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2013] [Accepted: 11/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol and tobacco related disorders are the two leading and most expensive causes of illness in central Europe. In addition to self reports and questionnaires, biomarkers are of relevance in diagnosis and therapy of alcohol use disorders. Traditional biomarkers such as gamma glutamyl transpeptidase or mean corpuscular volume are indirect biomarkers and are subject to influence of age, gender and non alcohol related diseases, among others.Direct ethanol metabolites such as ethyl glucuronide (EtG), ethyl sulphate (EtS) and phosphatidylethanol (PEth) are direct metabolites of ethanol, that are positive after intake of ethyl alcohol. They represent useful diagnostic tools for identifying alcohol use even more accurately than traditional biomarkers. Each of these drinking indicators remains positive in serum and urine for a characteristic time spectrum after the cessation of ethanol intake--EtG and EtS in urine up to 7 days, EtG in hair for months after ethanol has left the body. Applications include clinical routine use, emergency room settings, proof of abstinence in alcohol rehabilitation programs, driving under influence offenders, workplace testing, assessment of alcohol intake in the context of liver transplantation and fetal alcohol syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friedrich Martin Wurst
- Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie II, Christian-Doppler-Klinik, Salzburger Landeskliniken, Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Ignaz-Harrer-Straße 79, 5020, Salzburg, Österreich,
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33
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Liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease: a devilish dilemma. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY = JOURNAL CANADIEN DE GASTROENTEROLOGIE 2013; 27:625-6. [PMID: 24199208 DOI: 10.1155/2013/571270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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34
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Allen JP, Wurst FM, Thon N, Litten RZ. Assessing the drinking status of liver transplant patients with alcoholic liver disease. Liver Transpl 2013; 19:369-76. [PMID: 23281299 DOI: 10.1002/lt.23596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The accurate assessment of drinking by patients with alcoholic liver disease is important both before and after liver transplantation. Unfortunately, self-reports by these individuals often underestimate their actual alcohol consumption. Several recently developed biochemical measures can provide additional information on a patient's use of alcohol. This article describes ethyl glucuronide, ethyl sulfate, phosphatidyl ethanol, and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin as biomarkers of drinking and summarizes research dealing with their application in patients with alcohol use disorders who are candidates for or recipients of liver transplantation. The article also offers suggestions for enhancing the reliability of self-report measures of drinking status.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Allen
- Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (Veterans Integrated Service Network 6), Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
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35
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Gaglio PJ, Gaglio PJ. Complications in patients with alcohol-associated liver disease who undergo liver transplantation. Clin Liver Dis 2012; 16:865-75. [PMID: 23101987 DOI: 10.1016/j.cld.2012.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Cirrhosis caused by alcohol-associated liver disease is a common indication for liver transplantation worldwide. Patients with alcohol-associated liver disease who undergo liver transplantation face multiple challenging comorbid medical issues that enhance the potential for perioperative and postoperative complications. Awareness of these issues and appropriate therapeutic intervention may minimize the negative effect of these complications on posttransplantation survival. This article reviews important posttransplantation problems in patients transplanted for alcohol-associated liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Gaglio
- Rutgers University College of Arts and Sciences, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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36
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Abstract
Alcohol is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Subjects abusing alcohol can be identified through clinical history, examination or self-report questionnaires. A range of biomarkers is available for detecting alcohol misuse, but there is still a need for a marker that can detect alcohol consumption in the time window between one day (ethanol) and one week (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin). Ethyl glucuronide is a direct metabolite that can be detected in urine for up to 90 h and has the potential to become a useful marker of 'binge' drinking. As a non-invasive marker, it could have a role in a variety of clinical and forensic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie E Walsham
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Lewisham, High Street, Lewisham, London SE13 6LH
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