Pre- and postsynaptic signatures in the prelimbic cortex associated with "alcohol use disorder" in the rat

The transition to alcohol use disorder (AUD) involves persistent neuroadaptations in executive control functions primarily regulated by the medial prefrontal cortex. However, the neurophysiological correlates to behavioral manifestations of AUD are not fully defined. The association between cortical neuroadaptations and behavioral manifestations of addiction was studied using a multi-symptomatic operant model based on the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for AUD. This model aimed to characterize an AUD-vulnerable and AUD-resistant subpopulation of outbred male Wistar rats and was combined with electrophysiological measurements in the prelimbic cortex (PL). Mirroring clinical observations, rats exhibited individual variability in their vulnerability to develop AUD-like behavior, including motivation to seek for alcohol (crit 1), increased effort to obtain the substance (crit 2), and continued drinking despite negative consequences (crit 3). Only a small subset of rats met all the aforementioned AUD criteria (3 crit, AUD-vulnerable), while a larger fraction was considered AUD-resilient (0 crit). The development of AUD-like behavior was characterized by disruptions in glutamatergic synaptic activity, involving decreased frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) and heightened intrinsic excitability in layers 2/3 PL pyramidal neurons. These alterations were concomitant with a significant impairment in the ability of mGlu2/3 receptors to negatively regulate glutamate release in the PL but not in downstream regions like the basolateral amygdala or nucleus accumbens core. In conclusion alterations in PL synaptic activity were strongly associated with individual addiction scores, indicating their role as potential markers of the behavioral manifestations linked to AUD psychopathology.

Gender-specific risk relationship between heavy alcohol use/alcohol use disorders and suicidal thoughts and behavior among adults in the United States over time

PURPOSE

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors have been on the rise in the recent years in the US. There is a well-known link between heavy alcohol use/alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. An increase in the respective risk relationships is one way in which heavy alcohol use/AUDs may be driving the increase in the rate of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The objective of the current study was to investigate whether the gender-specific risk relationships between heavy alcohol use/AUDs and past-year (1) suicidal thoughts and (2) attempted suicide have increased over time.

METHODS

Individual-level annual data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health for the past 12 years (2008-2019) were utilized. Year- and gender-specific multivariate binary logistic regression analyses were first conducted. Gender-stratified random-effects meta-regressions across study years were then conducted.

RESULTS

Heavy alcohol use/AUDs were associated with elevated odds of past-year suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide for both men and women; however, a linear increase in the risk relationships over time was not found.

CONCLUSION

Although a temporal increase in the risk relationships of interest was not found, until additional research in this area is conducted, heavy alcohol use/AUDs cannot be ruled out as being a driving force behind the increasing rate of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in the US.

Concurrent validity of an estimator of weekly alcohol consumption (EWAC) based on the extended AUDIT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The three-question Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) is frequently used in healthcare for screening and brief advice about levels of alcohol consumption. AUDIT-C scores (0-12) provide feedback as categories of risk rather than estimates of actual alcohol intake, an important metric for behaviour change. The study aimed to (i) develop a continuous metric from the Extended AUDIT-C expressed in United Kingdom (UK) units (8 g pure ethanol), offering equivalent accuracy, and providing a direct estimator of weekly alcohol consumption (EWAC) and (ii) evaluate the EWAC's bias and error using the graduated-frequency (GF) questionnaire as a reference standard of alcohol consumption.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional diagnostic study based on a nationally-representative survey.

SETTINGS

Community dwelling households in England.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 22 404 household residents aged ≥16 years reporting drinking alcohol at least occasionally.

MEASUREMENTS

Computer-assisted personal interviews consisting of (i) AUDIT questionnaire with extended response items (the 'Extended AUDIT') and (ii) GF. Primary outcomes were: mean deviation <1 UK unit (metric of bias); root-mean-square deviation <2 UK units (metric of total error) between EWAC and GF. The secondary outcome was the receiver operating characteristic area under the curve for predicting alcohol consumption in excess of 14 and 35 UK units.

FINDINGS

EWAC had a positive bias of 0.2 UK units (95% CI = 0.08, 0.4) compared with GF. Deviations were skewed: whereas the mean error was ±11 UK units/week [9.5, 11.9], in half of participants the deviation between EWAC and GF was between 0 and ±2.1 UK units/week. EWAC predicted consumption in excess of 14 UK units/week with a significantly greater area under the curve (0.918 [0.914, 0.923]) than AUDIT-C (0.870 [0.864, 0.876]) or the full AUDIT (0.854 [0.847, 0.860]).

CONCLUSIONS

A new estimator of weekly alcohol consumption, which uses answers to the Extended AUDIT-C, meets the targeted bias tolerance. It is superior in accuracy to AUDIT-C and the full 10-item AUDIT when predicting consumption thresholds, making it a reliable complement to the Extended AUDIT-C for health promotion interventions.

Alcohol Use and the Risk of Communicable Diseases

The body of knowledge on alcohol use and communicable diseases has been growing in recent years. Using a narrative review approach, this paper discusses alcohol's role in the acquisition of and treatment outcomes from four different communicable diseases: these include three conditions included in comparative risk assessments to date-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and lower respiratory infections/pneumonia-as well as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) because of its recent and rapid ascension as a global health concern. Alcohol-attributable TB, HIV, and pneumonia combined were responsible for approximately 360,000 deaths and 13 million disability-adjusted life years lost (DALYs) in 2016, with alcohol-attributable TB deaths and DALYs predominating. There is strong evidence that alcohol is associated with increased incidence of and poorer treatment outcomes from HIV, TB, and pneumonia, via both behavioral and biological mechanisms. Preliminary studies suggest that heavy drinkers and those with alcohol use disorders are at increased risk of COVID-19 infection and severe illness. Aside from HIV research, limited research exists that can guide interventions for addressing alcohol-attributable TB and pneumonia or COVID-19. Implementation of effective individual-level interventions and alcohol control policies as a means of reducing the burden of communicable diseases is recommended.

Adaptation of and Protocol for the Validation of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in the Russian Federation for Use in Primary Healthcare

Aims

To adapt and validate the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) for use in the Russian Federation and countries with Russian-speaking populations by:

Methods

Systematic review of past use and validation of the Russian-language AUDIT. Interviews to be conducted with experts to identify problems encountered in the use of existing Russian-language AUDIT versions. A pilot study using a revised translation of the Russian-language AUDIT that incorporates country-specific drinking patterns in the Russian Federation.

Results and Conclusions

The systematic review identified over 60 different Russian-language AUDIT versions without systematic validation studies. The main difficulties encountered with the use of the AUDIT in the Russian Federation were related to the lack of:

A revised version of the Russian-language AUDIT was created based on the pilot studies, and was validated in primary healthcare facilities in all regions in 2019/2020.

Determining the sex-specific distributions of average daily alcohol consumption using cluster analysis: is there a separate distribution for people with alcohol dependence?

BACKGROUND

It remains unclear whether alcohol use disorders (AUDs) can be characterized by specific levels of average daily alcohol consumption. The aim of the current study was to model the distributions of average daily alcohol consumption among those who consume alcohol and those with alcohol dependence, the most severe AUD, using various clustering techniques.

METHODS

Data from Wave 1 and Wave 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions were used in the current analyses. Clustering algorithms were applied in order to group a set of data points that represent the average daily amount of alcohol consumed. Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs) were then used to estimate the likelihood of a data point belonging to one of the mixture distributions. Individuals were assigned to the clusters which had the highest posterior probabilities from the GMMs, and their treatment utilization rate was examined for each of the clusters.

RESULTS

Modeling alcohol consumption via clustering techniques was feasible. The clusters identified did not point to alcohol dependence as a separate cluster characterized by a higher level of alcohol consumption. Among both females and males with alcohol dependence, daily alcohol consumption was relatively low.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, we found little evidence for clusters of people with the same drinking distribution, which could be characterized as clinically relevant for people with alcohol use disorders as currently defined.

Treatment of alcohol dependence in Swedish primary care: perceptions among general practitioners

OBJECTIVE

To describe general practitioners' (GPs) attitudes to the management of patients with alcohol dependence in primary care and current treatment routines and their view on a new treatment approach; internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT).

DESIGN

A qualitative interview study with ten GPs participating in a randomized controlled trial. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

SETTING

The participating GPs were recruited via purposeful sampling from primary care clinics in Stockholm.

SUBJECTS

The GPs were participants in an RCT investigating if iCBT when added to treatment as usual (TAU) was more effective than TAU only when treating alcohol dependence in primary care.

RESULTS

The GPs found alcohol important to discuss in many consultations and perceived most patients open to discuss their alcohol habits. Lack of training and treatment options were expressed as limiting factors when working with alcohol dependence. According to the respondents, routines for treating alcohol dependence were rare.

CONCLUSION

GPs believed that iCBT might facilitate raising questions about alcohol use and thought iCBT may serve as an attractive treatment option to some patients. The iCBT program did not require GPs to acquire skills in behavioral treatment, which could make implementation more feasible.KEY POINTSAlcohol dependence is highly prevalent, has a large treatment gap and is relevant to discuss with patients in many consultations in primary care.This study is based on interviews with 10 GPs participating in a randomized controlled trial comparing internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT) for alcohol-dependent patients to treatment as usual.GPs viewed alcohol habits as important to discuss and they perceived most patients are open to discuss this.The access to iCBT seemed to increase GPs' willingness to ask questions about alcohol and was viewed as an attractive treatment for some patients.The iCBT program did not require GPs to acquire skills in behavioral treatment, which might be timesaving and make implementation more feasible.

Prevalence and correlates of alcohol dependence in an Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative sample: Using the Grog Survey App

INTRODUCTION

Little is known about the prevalence of current alcohol dependence in Indigenous Australian communities. Here we identify the frequency of reported symptoms, estimate the prevalence and describe the correlates of current alcohol dependence.

METHODS

A representative sample of Indigenous Australians (16+ years) was recruited from an urban and remote community in South Australia. Data were collected between July and October 2019 via a tablet computer-based application. Participants were likely dependent if they reported two or more dependence symptoms (ICD-11; in the last 12 -months), weekly or more frequently. Chi-square tests described the relationship between demographics, remoteness and alcohol dependence. Spearman correlations estimated the relationship between symptoms of dependence, consumption characteristics and demographics.

RESULTS

A total of 775 Indigenous Australians participated. The most frequently reported symptoms were prioritising alcohol over other things and loss of control. Overall, 2.2% were likely dependent on alcohol (n = 17/775). Prevalence did not vary by remoteness. Participants who drank more and more frequently tended to report more frequent symptoms of dependence. In the urban site, men tended to report more frequent symptoms of dependence than women. Age, income and schooling were not linked to dependence.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of current alcohol dependence in this representative sample was similar to that of the general Australian and international estimates. Understanding risk factors for current alcohol dependence will be useful to inform the allocation of funding and support. Accurate estimates of the prevalence of current alcohol dependence are important to better identify specialist treatment needs.

Alcohol use disorders and the risk of progression of liver disease in people with hepatitis C virus infection - a systematic review

Liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases are usually compartmentalized into separate categories based on etiology (e.g., due to alcohol, virus infection, etc.), but it is important to study the intersection of, and possible interactions between, risk factors. The aim of this study is to summarize evidence on the association between alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and decompensated liver cirrhosis and other complications in patients with chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. A systematic search of epidemiological studies was conducted using Ovid Medline databases in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria. Relative Risk estimates were combined using random-effects meta-analyses. The proportion of cases with liver disease progression that could be avoided if no person with a chronic HCV infection had an AUD was estimated using an attributable fraction methodology. A total of 11 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria, providing data from 286,641 people with chronic HCV infections, of whom 63,931 (22.3%) qualified as having an AUD. Using decompensated liver cirrhosis as the outcome for the main meta-analysis (n = 7 unique studies), an AUD diagnosis was associated with a 3.3-fold risk for progression of liver disease among people with a chronic HCV infection (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.8–4.8). In terms of population-attributable fractions, slightly less than 4 out of 10 decompensated liver cirrhosis cases were attributable to an AUD: 35.2% (95% CI: 16.2–47.1%). For a secondary analyses, all outcomes related to liver disease progression were pooled (i.e., liver deaths or cirrhosis in addition to decompensated liver cirrhosis), which yielded a similar overall effect (n = 13 estimates; OR = 3.7; 95% CI: 2.2–5.3) and a similar attributable fraction (39.3%; 95% CI: 21.9–50.4%). In conclusion, AUDs were frequent in people with chronic HCV infections and contributed to worsening the course of liver disease. Alcohol use and AUDs should be assessed in patients who have liver disease of any etiology, and interventions should be implemented to achieve abstinence or to reduce consumption to the greatest possible extent.

Alcohol use and its consequences in the Czech Republic

OBJECTIVE

Alcohol consumption is associated with substantial public health burden. This article summarises available information on the patterns and prevalence of alcohol use in the Czech Republic with a focus on the heavy alcohol use and its health and social consequences.

METHODS

A non-systematic literature review was conducted. The data sources included primarily 3 series of surveys in the adult population, 2 series of surveys in the school population, routine monitoring system of per capita alcohol consumption, routine statistics on alcohol-related morbidity and mortality, and alcohol-related crime.

RESULTS

In recent years the registered alcohol consumption in the Czech Republic has been very high; 9.8 litres of pure alcohol were consumed per capita in 2017. Recently, the prevalence of hazardous alcohol consumption in the adult population has reached 16.8-17.6% and harmful alcohol consumption 9.0-9.3%. From 12% to 17% of adult population and 12% of adolescent population were heavy episodic drinkers. Alcohol-related disorders are disproportionately higher (2-3 times) among men. Mortality for alcohol-related causes fully attributable to alcohol (AAF = 100%) and their proportion in overall mortality is on increase.

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol consumption as well as the prevalence of heavy episodic drinking in the Czech Republic belongs among the highest globally. On the other hand, declines in alcohol use have been recently observed among children and adolescents. Available data on alcohol-related morbidity indicate stable situation, though alcohol-related mortality is increasing. Alcohol-related burden is rather underestimated and evidence-based alcohol policy should be increasingly implemented.

[Provision of healthcare for people with risky alcohol use and severe alcohol use disorders in the state of Bremen, Germany: demand and guideline concordance?]

BACKGROUND

Early detection of risky alcohol use and severe alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is crucial to avoid adverse health consequences. The German "Guidelines on Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders" recommend to routinely screen patients for hazardous alcohol use and to subsequently conduct brief interventions, for example in primary healthcare. For severe AUDs, provision of withdrawal treatment is recommended in inpatient settings if complications are anticipated.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the proportion of people with hazardous alcohol use or severe AUDs receiving healthcare as stipulated by the guidelines.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The prevalence of hazardous use (female ≥12 g; male ≥24 g) and severe AUDs (female ≥60 g; male ≥90 g) was estimated using per capita consumption of pure alcohol. Treatment rates were estimated using survey data (for hazardous use) and inpatient admissions (for severe AUDs). All estimates refer to the adult population (15 years or older) of the federal state of Bremen for 2016.

RESULTS

Physicians screened 2.9% of all people with hazardous alcohol use and conducted brief interventions with 1.4%. Among people with severe AUDs, 7.1% received inpatient treatment. Among people with severe AUDs who required inpatient treatment, 14.1% received withdrawal treatment in inpatient settings. Treatment rates below average were registered among 21- to 39-year-olds.

CONCLUSIONS

In Bremen, provision of guideline-conform healthcare for hazardous alcohol use and severe AUDs is insufficient, especially among 21- to 39-year-olds.

Global Burden of Alcohol Use Disorders and Alcohol Liver Disease

Alcohol use is a major risk factor for burden of mortality and morbidity. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are important disease outcomes caused by alcohol use. We will describe the global mortality and burden of disease in disability-adjusted life years for ALD and AUDs, based on data from the comparative risk assessment of the World Health Organization for 2016. AUDs have a limited impact on mortality in this assessment, since alcohol poisonings are almost the only disease category directly attributable to AUDs; most other alcohol-related deaths are indirect, and the cause which directly led to the death, such as liver cirrhosis, is the one recorded on the death certificate. Burden of disease for AUDs is thus mainly due to disability resulting from alcohol use. In contrast to AUDs, ALD is one of the major lethal outcomes of alcohol use, and burden of disease is mainly due to (premature) years of life lost. Many of the negative outcomes attributable to both AUDs and ALD are due to their interactions with other factors, most notably economic wealth. To avoid alcohol-attributable morbidity and mortality, measures should be taken to reduce the AUDs and ALD burden globally, especially among the poor.

Alcohol use disorders

Alcohol use disorders consist of disorders characterised by compulsive heavy alcohol use and loss of control over alcohol intake. Alcohol use disorders are some of the most prevalent mental disorders globally, especially in high-income and upper-middle-income countries; and are associated with high mortality and burden of disease, mainly due to medical consequences, such as liver cirrhosis or injury. Despite their high prevalence, alcohol use disorders are undertreated partly because of the high stigma associated with them, but also because of insufficient systematic screening in primary health care, although effective and cost-effective psychosocial and pharmacological interventions do exist. Primary health care should be responsible for most treatment, with routine screening for alcohol use, and the provision of a staggered treatment response, from brief advice to pharmacological treatment. Clinical interventions for these disorders should be embedded in a supportive environment, which can be bolstered by the creation of alcohol control policies aimed at reducing the overall level of consumption.

Reducing the health risks derived from exposure to addictive substances

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To discuss the health risks due to exposure to alcohol, illegal drugs and nicotine and how these risks might be reduced.

RECENT FINDINGS

In 2016, worldwide, alcohol, illegal drugs and nicotine were responsible for some 10 million deaths. There is evolutionary and biological evidence that humans are predisposed to consuming alcohol, illegal drugs and nicotine - present-day problems are caused by high levels of potency, exposure and drug delivery systems. The two priority substances for action are alcohol and smoked cigarettes; their exposure can be reduced by price increases, setting minimum prices per product, regulating a shift form smoked cigarettes to electronic nicotine delivery devices and, theoretically, reducing the ethanol content of existing beverages. Legalization of cannabis requires a strict regulatory framework.

SUMMARY

Purposeful policy can reduce the harm done by alcohol, illegal drugs and nicotine. In particular, policy to reduce exposure to alcohol requires considerable strengthening.

Prevalence and pathways of recovery from drug and alcohol problems in the United States population: Implications for practice, research, and policy

BACKGROUND

Alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems confer a global, prodigious burden of disease, disability, and premature mortality. Even so, little is known regarding how, and by what means, individuals successfully resolve AOD problems. Greater knowledge would inform policy and guide service provision.

METHOD

Probability-based survey of US adult population estimating: 1) AOD problem resolution prevalence; 2) lifetime use of "assisted" (i.e., treatment/medication, recovery services/mutual help) vs. "unassisted" resolution pathways; 3) correlates of assisted pathway use. Participants (response=63.4% of 39,809) responding "yes" to, "Did you use to have a problem with alcohol or drugs but no longer do?" assessed on substance use, clinical histories, problem resolution.

RESULTS

Weighted prevalence of problem resolution was 9.1%, with 46% self-identifying as "in recovery"; 53.9% reported "assisted" pathway use. Most utilized support was mutual-help (45.1%,SE=1.6), followed by treatment (27.6%,SE=1.4), and emerging recovery support services (21.8%,SE=1.4), including recovery community centers (6.2%,SE=0.9). Strongest correlates of "assisted" pathway use were lifetime AOD diagnosis (AOR=10.8[7.42-15.74], model R2=0.13), drug court involvement (AOR=8.1[5.2-12.6], model R2=0.10), and, inversely, absence of lifetime psychiatric diagnosis (AOR=0.3[0.2-0.3], model R2=0.10). Compared to those with primary alcohol problems, those with primary cannabis problems were less likely (AOR=0.7[0.5-0.9]) and those with opioid problems were more likely (AOR=2.2[1.4-3.4]) to use assisted pathways. Indices related to severity were related to assisted pathways (R2<0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Tens of millions of Americans have successfully resolved an AOD problem using a variety of traditional and non-traditional means. Findings suggest a need for a broadening of the menu of self-change and community-based options that can facilitate and support long-term AOD problem resolution.

Towards new recommendations to reduce the burden of alcohol-induced hypertension in the European Union

BACKGROUND

Hazardous and harmful alcohol use and high blood pressure are central risk factors related to premature non-communicable disease (NCD) mortality worldwide. A reduction in the prevalence of both risk factors has been suggested as a route to reach the global NCD targets. This study aims to highlight that screening and interventions for hypertension and hazardous and harmful alcohol use in primary healthcare can contribute substantially to achieving the NCD targets.

METHODS

A consensus conference based on systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical guidelines, experimental studies, and statistical modelling which had been presented and discussed in five preparatory meetings, was undertaken. Specifically, we modelled changes in blood pressure distributions and potential lives saved for the five largest European countries if screening and appropriate intervention rates in primary healthcare settings were increased. Recommendations to handle alcohol-induced hypertension in primary healthcare settings were derived at the conference, and their degree of evidence was graded.

RESULTS

Screening and appropriate interventions for hazardous alcohol use and use disorders could lower blood pressure levels, but there is a lack in implementing these measures in European primary healthcare. Recommendations included (1) an increase in screening for hypertension (evidence grade: high), (2) an increase in screening and brief advice on hazardous and harmful drinking for people with newly detected hypertension by physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals (evidence grade: high), (3) the conduct of clinical management of less severe alcohol use disorders for incident people with hypertension in primary healthcare (evidence grade: moderate), and (4) screening for alcohol use in hypertension that is not well controlled (evidence grade: moderate). The first three measures were estimated to result in a decreased hypertension prevalence and hundreds of saved lives annually in the examined countries.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of the outlined recommendations could contribute to reducing the burden associated with hypertension and hazardous and harmful alcohol use and thus to achievement of the NCD targets. Implementation should be conducted in controlled settings with evaluation, including, but not limited to, economic evaluation.

The cultural aspect: How to measure and interpret epidemiological data on alcohol-use disorders across cultures

Aims:

To examine the cultural impact on the diagnosis of alcohol-use disorders using European countries as examples.

Design:

Narrative review.

Results:

There are strong cultural norms guiding heavy drinking occasions and loss of control. These norms not only indicate what drinking behaviour is acceptable, but also whether certain behaviours can be reported or not. As modern diagnostic systems are based on lists of mostly behavioural criteria, where alcohol-use disorders are defined by a positive answer on at least one, two or three of these criteria, culture will inevitably co-determine how many people will get a diagnosis. This explains the multifold differences in incidence and prevalence of alcohol-use disorders, even between countries where the average drinking levels are similar. Thus, the incidence and prevalence of alcohol-use disorders as assessed by surveys or rigorous application of standardised instruments must be judged as measuring social norms as well as the intended mental disorder.

Conclusions:

Current practice to measure alcohol-use disorders based on a list of culture-specific diagnostic criteria results in incomparability in the incidence, prevalence or disease burden between countries. For epidemiological purposes, a more grounded definition of diagnostic criteria seems necessary, which could probably be given by using heavy drinking over time.

Managing Alcohol Use Disorder in Primary Health Care

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of this study is to summarise the current literature on both the impact and the implementation of primary health care-based screening and advice programmes to reduce heavy drinking, as an evidence-based component of managing alcohol use disorder in primary health care.

RECENT FINDINGS

Systematic reviews of reviews find conclusive evidence for the impact of primary health care delivered screening and brief advice programmes in reducing heavy drinking. The content, length of advice and which profession delivers the advice seems less important than the actual encounter between provider and patient. Despite the global burden of disease due to heavy drinking and the evidence that this can be reduced by screening and brief advice programmes delivered in primary health care, such programmes remain poorly implemented. Were such programmes widely implemented, there would be substantial health and productivity gains. Systematic reviews and international studies indicate that improved implementation requires tailoring of training and programme content to match the needs of providers, training and ongoing support and embedding of programmes within local community support, championed by local leaders. The next stage of implementation and scale-up of evidence-based screening and brief advice programmes should take place embedded within supportive local community action, with appropriate research to demonstrate impact.

Alcohol consumption as a risk factor for tuberculosis: meta-analyses and burden of disease

Meta-analyses of alcohol use, alcohol dosage and alcohol-related problems as risk factors for tuberculosis incidence were undertaken. The global alcohol-attributable tuberculosis burden of disease was also re-estimated.Systematic searches were conducted, reference lists were reviewed and expert consultations were held to identify studies. Cohort and case-control studies were included if there were no temporal violations of exposure and outcome. Risk relations (RRs) were pooled by using categorical and dose-response meta-analyses. The alcohol-attributable tuberculosis burden of disease was estimated by using alcohol-attributable fractions.36 of 1108 studies were included. RRs for alcohol use and alcohol-related problems were 1.35 (95% CI 1.09-1.68; I2: 83%) and 3.33 (95% CI 2.14-5.19; 87%), respectively. Concerning alcohol dosage, tuberculosis risk rose as ethanol intake increased, with evidence of a threshold effect. Alcohol consumption caused 22.02 incident cases (95% CI 19.70-40.77) and 2.35 deaths (95% CI 2.05-4.79) per 100 000 people from tuberculosis in 2014. Alcohol-attributable tuberculosis incidence increased between 2000 and 2014 in most high tuberculosis burden countries, whereas mortality decreased.Alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis in all meta-analyses. It was consequently a major contributor to the tuberculosis burden of disease.

The relationship between different dimensions of alcohol use and the burden of disease-an update

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Alcohol use is a major contributor to injuries, mortality and the burden of disease. This review updates knowledge on risk relations between dimensions of alcohol use and health outcomes to be used in global and national Comparative Risk Assessments (CRAs).

METHODS

Systematic review of reviews and meta-analyses on alcohol consumption and health outcomes attributable to alcohol use. For dimensions of exposure: volume of alcohol use, blood alcohol concentration and patterns of drinking, in particular heavy drinking occasions were studied. For liver cirrhosis, quality of alcohol was additionally considered. For all outcomes (mortality and/or morbidity): cause of death and disease/injury categories based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes used in global CRAs; harm to others.

RESULTS

In total, 255 reviews and meta-analyses were identified. Alcohol use was found to be linked causally to many disease and injury categories, with more than 40 ICD-10 three-digit categories being fully attributable to alcohol. Most partially attributable disease categories showed monotonic relationships with volume of alcohol use: the more alcohol consumed, the higher the risk of disease or death. Exceptions were ischaemic diseases and diabetes, with curvilinear relationships, and with beneficial effects of light to moderate drinking in people without heavy irregular drinking occasions. Biological pathways suggest an impact of heavy drinking occasions on additional diseases; however, the lack of medical epidemiological studies measuring this dimension of alcohol use precluded an in-depth analysis. For injuries, except suicide, blood alcohol concentration was the most important dimension of alcohol use. Alcohol use caused marked harm to others, which has not yet been researched sufficiently.

CONCLUSIONS

Research since 2010 confirms the importance of alcohol use as a risk factor for disease and injuries; for some health outcomes, more than one dimension of use needs to be considered. Epidemiological studies should include measurement of heavy drinking occasions in line with biological knowledge.

Quantifying the contribution of alcohol to cardiomyopathy: A systematic review

Alcohol has a direct toxic impact on the heart, and while there is an ICD code for alcoholic cardiomyopathy, the burden of alcohol-attributable cardiomyopathy is not clear. For the usual estimation of this burden via population-attributable fractions, one would need to determine the risk relationships, i.e., average risk associated with different dimensions of alcohol exposure. The most important among these risk relationships is the dose-response relationship with different levels of average alcohol consumption. To establish risk relationships, we systematically searched for all studies on dose-response relationships, directly and indirectly, via reviews. The results did not permit computation of pooled estimates through meta-analyses. There were clear indications that heavy drinking (≥80 g per day) over several years was linked to high risk of cardiomyopathy, with greater lifetime exposure of alcohol linked to higher risks. Some studies indicated potential effects of patterns of drinking as well. As such, the global quantification of alcohol-attributable cardiomyopathy will have to rely on other methods than those used conventionally.

Quantifying the global contribution of alcohol consumption to cardiomyopathy

Background

The global impact of alcohol consumption on deaths due to cardiomyopathy (CM) has not been quantified to date, even though CM contains a subcategory for alcoholic CM with an effect of heavy drinking over time as the postulated underlying causal mechanism. In this feasibility study, a model to estimate the alcohol-attributable fraction (AAF) of CM deaths based on alcohol exposure measures is proposed.

Methods

A two-step model was developed based on aggregate-level data from 95 countries, including the most populous (data from 2013 or last available year). First, the crude mortality rate of alcoholic CM per 1,000,000 adults was predicted using a negative binomial regression based on prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) and adult alcohol per capita consumption (APC) (n = 52 countries). Second, the proportion of alcoholic CM among all CM deaths (i.e., AAF) was predicted using a fractional response probit regression with alcoholic CM crude mortality rate (from Step 1), AUD prevalence, APC per drinker, and Global Burden of Disease region as predictions. Additional models repeated these steps by sex and for the wider Global Burden of Disease study definition of CM.

Results

There were strong correlations (>0.9) between the crude mortality rate of alcoholic CM and the AAFs, supporting the modeling strategy. In the first step, the population-weighted mean crude mortality rate was estimated at 8.4 alcoholic CM deaths per 1,000,000 (95% CI: 7.4–9.3). In the second step, the global AAFs were estimated at 6.9% (95% CI: 5.4–8.4%). Sex-specific figures suggested a lower AAF among females (2.9%, 95% CI: 2.3–3.4%) as compared to males (8.9%, 95% CI: 7.0–10.7%). Larger deviations between observed and predicted AAFs were found in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Conclusions

The model proposed promises to fill the gap to include AAFs for CM into comparative risk assessments in the future. These predictions likely will be underestimates because of the stigma involved in all fully alcohol-attributable conditions and subsequent problems in coding of alcoholic CM deaths.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12963-017-0137-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Rethinking alcohol interventions in health care: a thematic meeting of the International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol & Other Drugs (INEBRIA)

In 2016, the International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol & Other Drugs convened a meeting titled “Rethinking alcohol interventions in health care”. The aims of the meeting were to synthesize recent evidence about screening and brief intervention and to set directions for research, practice, and policy in light of this evidence. Screening and brief intervention is efficacious in reducing self-reported alcohol consumption for some with unhealthy alcohol use, but there are gaps in evidence for its effectiveness. Because screening and brief intervention is not known to be efficacious for individuals with more severe unhealthy alcohol use, recent data showing the lack of evidence for referral to treatment as part of screening and brief intervention are alarming. While screening and brief intervention was designed to be a population-based approach, its reach is limited. Implementation in real world care also remains a challenge. This report summarizes practice, research, and policy recommendations and key research developments from our meeting. In order to move the field forward, a research agenda was proposed to (1) address evidence gaps in screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment, (2) develop innovations to address severe unhealthy alcohol use within primary care, (3) describe the stigma of unhealthy alcohol use, which obstructs progress in prevention and treatment, (4) reconsider existing conceptualizations of unhealthy alcohol use that may influence health care, and (5) identify efforts needed to improve the capacity for addressing unhealthy alcohol consumption in all world regions.

Scaling-up primary health care-based prevention and management of heavy drinking at the municipal level in middle-income countries in Latin America: Background and protocol for a three-country quasi-experimental study

Background: While primary health care (PHC)-based prevention and management of heavy drinking is clinically effective and cost-effective, it remains poorly implemented in routine practice. Systematic reviews and multi-country studies have demonstrated the ability of training and support programmes to increase PHC-based screening and brief advice activity to reduce heavy drinking. However, gains have been only modest and short term at best. WHO studies have concluded that a more effective uptake could be achieved by embedding PHC activity within broader community and municipal support.

Protocol: A quasi-experimental study will compare PHC-based prevention and management of heavy drinking in three intervention cities from Colombia, Mexico and Peru with three comparator cities from the same countries. In the implementation cities, primary health care units (PHCUs) will receive training embedded within ongoing supportive municipal action over an 18-month implementation period. In the comparator cities, practice as usual will continue at both municipal and PHCU levels. The primary outcome will be the proportion of consulting adult patients intervened with (screened and advice given to screen positives). The study is powered to detect a doubling of the outcome measure from an estimated 2.5/1,000 patients at baseline. Formal evaluation points will be at baseline, mid-point and end-point of the 18-month implementation period. We will present the ratio (plus 95% confidence interval) of the proportion of patients receiving intervention in the implementation cities with the proportions in the comparator cities. Full process evaluation will be undertaken, coupled with an analysis of potential contextual, financial and political-economy influencing factors.

Discussion: This multi-country study will test the extent to which embedding PHC-based prevention and management of alcohol use disorder with supportive municipal action leads to improved scale-up of more patients with heavy drinking receiving appropriate advice and treatment.

Study status: The four-year study will start on 1 ^st December 2017.

Reframing the science and policy of nicotine, illegal drugs and alcohol - conclusions of the ALICE RAP Project

In 2013, illegal drug use was responsible for 1.8% of years of life lost in the European Union, alcohol was responsible for 8.2% and tobacco for 18.2%, imposing economic burdens in excess of 2.5% of GDP. No single European country has optimal governance structures for reducing the harm done by nicotine, illegal drugs and alcohol, and existing ones are poorly designed, fragmented, and sometimes cause harm. Reporting the main science and policy conclusions of a transdisciplinary five-year analysis of the place of addictions in Europe, researchers from 67 scientific institutions addressed these problems by reframing an understanding of addictions.  A new paradigm needs to account for evolutionary evidence which suggests that humans are biologically predisposed to seek out drugs, and that, today, individuals face availability of high drug doses, consequently increasing the risk of harm.  New definitions need to acknowledge that the defining element of addictive drugs is 'heavy use over time', a concept that could replace the diagnostic artefact captured by the clinical term 'substance use disorder', thus opening the door for new substances to be considered such as sugar. Tools of quantitative risk assessment that recognize drugs as toxins could be further deployed to assess regulatory approaches to reducing harm. Re-designed governance of drugs requires embedding policy within a comprehensive societal well-being frame that encompasses a range of domains of well-being, including quality of life, material living conditions and sustainability over time; such a frame adds arguments to the inappropriateness of policies that criminalize individuals for using drugs and that continue to categorize certain drugs as illegal. A health footprint, modelled on the carbon footprint, and using quantitative measures such as years of life lost due to death or disability, could serve as the accountability tool that apportions responsibility for who and what causes drug-related harm.

The relationship between different dimensions of alcohol use and the burden of disease-an update

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Alcohol use is a major contributor to injuries, mortality and the burden of disease. This review updates knowledge on risk relations between dimensions of alcohol use and health outcomes to be used in global and national Comparative Risk Assessments (CRAs).

METHODS

Systematic review of reviews and meta-analyses on alcohol consumption and health outcomes attributable to alcohol use. For dimensions of exposure: volume of alcohol use, blood alcohol concentration and patterns of drinking, in particular heavy drinking occasions were studied. For liver cirrhosis, quality of alcohol was additionally considered. For all outcomes (mortality and/or morbidity): cause of death and disease/injury categories based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes used in global CRAs; harm to others.

RESULTS

In total, 255 reviews and meta-analyses were identified. Alcohol use was found to be linked causally to many disease and injury categories, with more than 40 ICD-10 three-digit categories being fully attributable to alcohol. Most partially attributable disease categories showed monotonic relationships with volume of alcohol use: the more alcohol consumed, the higher the risk of disease or death. Exceptions were ischaemic diseases and diabetes, with curvilinear relationships, and with beneficial effects of light to moderate drinking in people without heavy irregular drinking occasions. Biological pathways suggest an impact of heavy drinking occasions on additional diseases; however, the lack of medical epidemiological studies measuring this dimension of alcohol use precluded an in-depth analysis. For injuries, except suicide, blood alcohol concentration was the most important dimension of alcohol use. Alcohol use caused marked harm to others, which has not yet been researched sufficiently.

CONCLUSIONS

Research since 2010 confirms the importance of alcohol use as a risk factor for disease and injuries; for some health outcomes, more than one dimension of use needs to be considered. Epidemiological studies should include measurement of heavy drinking occasions in line with biological knowledge.

A narrative review of alcohol consumption as a risk factor for global burden of disease

Since the original Comparative Risk Assessment (CRA) for alcohol consumption as part of the Global Burden of Disease Study for 1990, there had been regular updates of CRAs for alcohol from the World Health Organization and/or the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. These studies have become more and more refined with respect to establishing causality between dimensions of alcohol consumption and different disease and mortality (cause of death) outcomes, refining risk relations, and improving the methodology for estimating exposure and alcohol-attributable burden. The present review will give an overview on the main results of the CRAs with respect to alcohol consumption as a risk factor, sketch out new trends and developments, and draw implications for future research and policy.

How should prevalence of alcohol use disorders be assessed globally?

Alcohol is a major risk factor for global burden of disease, and alcohol use disorders make up a considerable portion of this burden. Up to now, prevalence of alcohol use disorders has been estimated based on general population surveys with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) as the gold standard for assessment. However, three major problems have been identified with the current conceptualization of alcohol use disorders and its measurement via CIDI: cultural specificity of key criteria measured such as loss of control; lack of convergence of diagnoses identified by CIDI with clinically relevant diagnoses in primary health care; and impact of stigma on measurement. As a solution, it is proposed to measure alcohol use disorders via heavy drinking over time, with thresholds taken from the European Medicines Agency (60 and more grams on average per day of pure alcohol for men, and 40+ grams for women). Current data on level of drinking (per capita consumption) assessed via taxation and other means allow for a measure of less bias. If these thresholds are considered too low and there is more emphasis on need for specialized treatment, then thresholds for very heavy drinking can be taken as alternatively (100+, and 60+ grams per day pure alcohol for men and women, respectively). Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Commentary on Cherpitel et al. (2015): Improving global estimates of alcohol-attributable injury

The analyses by Cherpitel and colleagues on alcohol-injury risk relations will help to improve global estimates of the alcohol-attributable injury burden by supplying more specific and empirically based risk relations. However, several issues still need to be addressed: generalizability, heterogeneity of drinkers, mortality outcomes and the quantification of causal impact.

Risk of All-Cause Mortality in Alcohol-Dependent Individuals: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Alcohol dependence (AD) carries a high mortality burden, which may be mitigated by reduced alcohol consumption. We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis investigating the risk of all-cause mortality in alcohol-dependent subjects.

Methods

MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, Embase and PsycINFO were searched from database conception through 26th June 2014. Eligible studies reported all-cause mortality in both alcohol-dependent subjects and a comparator population of interest. Two individuals independently reviewed studies. Of 4540 records identified, 39 observational studies were included in meta-analyses.

Findings

We identified a significant increase in mortality for alcohol-dependent subjects compared with the general population (27 studies; relative risk [RR] = 3.45; 95% CI [2.96, 4.02]; p < 0.0001). The mortality increase was also significant compared to subjects qualifying for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse or subjects without alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Alcohol-dependent subjects continuing to drink heavily had significantly greater mortality than alcohol-dependent subjects who reduced alcohol intake, even if abstainers were excluded (p < 0.05).

Interpretation

AD was found to significantly increase an individual's risk of all-cause mortality. While abstinence in alcohol-dependent subjects led to greater mortality reduction than non-abstinence, this study suggests that alcohol-dependent subjects can significantly reduce their mortality risk by reducing alcohol consumption.

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A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to investigate mortality risk in alcohol-dependent individuals.

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Alcohol dependence was associated with significantly higher mortality risk vs the general population, and vs alcohol abuse.

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Alcohol-dependent people with reduced alcohol consumption lowered their mortality risk, even if abstinence was not reached.

Individuals with alcohol dependence have a high risk of disease, disability or death. Treatment has traditionally focused on promoting abstinence, although some alcohol-dependent individuals would prefer to continue drinking in a controlled manner. By statistically combining results from previously published studies identified in a systematic literature review, we have shown that mortality among alcohol-dependent individuals is three to four times higher than in the general population. We have also found that individuals with alcohol dependence can reduce their risk of death by reducing alcohol consumption, even if they do not achieve abstinence.

Transition probabilities for four states of alcohol use in adolescence and young adulthood: what factors matter when?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Risky single-occasion drinking (RSOD) is a health threat, particularly at younger ages. The study aimed to quantify transition probabilities (TPs) between abstinence, use of alcohol, RSOD and frequent RSOD, and to understand how TPs are associated with key demographic factors.

DESIGN

Cohort study (baseline, two follow-ups). A Markov model was fitted to estimate annual TPs and hazard ratios (HRs) for age, sex and socio-economic status (SES).

SETTING

Adolescent and young adult general population of Munich (Germany) and surrounding areas.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 3021 people aged 14-25 years at baseline in 1995 followed-up in 1998/1999 (n = 2548) and 2003-2005 (n = 2210).

MEASUREMENTS

Alcohol use, RSOD status, age, sex and SES (subjective financial situation) were assessed in a standardized interview.

FINDINGS

The highest TPs (> 65%) were found for staying in the same drinking state. Higher age [hazard ratio (HR) for 1-year increase = 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.84-0.91], being female (HR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.21-0.42), and a high SES (HR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.43-0.97) were associated with a lower hazard to progress from use to RSOD. While age was associated predominantly with transitions between abstinence and alcohol use, sex was more relevant for transitions associated with RSOD and frequent RSOD.

CONCLUSIONS

German adolescents and young adults tend to be stable in the drinking states of abstinence, use of alcohol, risky single-occasion drinking and frequent risky single-occasion drinking. Females are less likely to transition to riskier states and more likely to transition back from frequent risky single-occasion drinking, higher age is associated with lower hazard of transitioning and participants of higher socio-economic status are less likely to transition from 'use of alcohol' to 'risky single-occasion drinking'.

People with alcohol use disorders in specialized care in eight different European countries

AIM

To provide a description of patients receiving alcohol treatment in eight different European countries, including the level of comorbidities and functional limitations.

METHODS

Drinking behaviours, DSM-IV alcohol use disorder (AUD), mental and somatic comorbidities, disability and health services utilization of 1767 patients from various specialized treatment settings were assessed as representative for regions of eight European countries. Severity of alcohol dependence (AD) in terms of drinking level was compared with a large representative US sample.

RESULTS

Patients in specialized care for AUDs showed high levels of consumption [average level of daily ethanol intake: 141.1 g, standard deviation (SD): 116.0 g], comorbidity [e.g. liver problems: 19.6%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 17.5-21.6%; depression: 43.2%, 95% CI: 40.7-45.8%; anxiety: 50.3%, 95% CI: 47.8-52.9%], disability and health services utilization (average number of nights spent in hospital(s) during the last 6 months: 8.8, SD: 19.5 nights). Severity of AD was similar to the US sample, but European men consumed on average more alcohol daily.

CONCLUSIONS

High levels of consumption, somatic and mental comorbidities, disability and functional losses were found in this representative treatment sample, indicating that treatment was initiated only at severe stages of AUDs. Earlier initiation of treatment could help avoid some of the health and social burden.

Prevalence of and potential influencing factors for alcohol dependence in Europe

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs), and alcohol dependence (AD) in particular, are prevalent and associated with a large burden of disability and mortality. The aim of this study was to estimate prevalence of AD in the European Union (EU), Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland for the year 2010, and to investigate potential influencing factors. The 1-year prevalence of AD in the EU was estimated at 3.4% among people 18-64 years of age in Europe (women 1.7%, men 5.2%), resulting in close to 11 million affected people. Taking into account all people of all ages, AD, abuse and harmful use resulted in an estimate of 23 million affected people. Prevalence of AD varied widely between European countries, and was significantly impacted by drinking cultures and social norms. Correlations with level of drinking and other drinking variables and with major known outcomes of heavy drinking, such as liver cirrhosis or injury, were moderate. These results suggest a need to rethink the definition of AUDs.

Truth or consequences in the diagnosis of substance use disorders

AIMS

This commentary critically evaluates the use of substance-related negative psychosocial and health consequences to define and diagnose alcohol and other substance use disorders.

METHODS

Narrative review.

RESULTS

The consequences of substance use cause much suffering and are major public health and economic problems. However, there are a number of conceptual and measurement problems with using consequences as diagnostic criteria for substance disorders. Data indicate that substance-related consequences introduce systematic bias and degrade the validity of diagnostic systems.

CONCLUSIONS

Negative psychosocial and health consequences of substance use should play a fundamentally reduced role in modern diagnostic systems for, and definitions of, addictive disorders.

Predicting cannabis abuse screening test (CAST) scores: a recursive partitioning analysis using survey data from Czech Republic, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden

Introduction

Cannabis is Europe's most commonly used illicit drug. Some users do not develop dependence or other problems, whereas others do. Many factors are associated with the occurrence of cannabis-related disorders. This makes it difficult to identify key risk factors and markers to profile at-risk cannabis users using traditional hypothesis-driven approaches. Therefore, the use of a data-mining technique called binary recursive partitioning is demonstrated in this study by creating a classification tree to profile at-risk users.

Methods

59 variables on cannabis use and drug market experiences were extracted from an internet-based survey dataset collected in four European countries (Czech Republic, Italy, Netherlands and Sweden), n = 2617. These 59 potential predictors of problematic cannabis use were used to partition individual respondents into subgroups with low and high risk of having a cannabis use disorder, based on their responses on the Cannabis Abuse Screening Test. Both a generic model for the four countries combined and four country-specific models were constructed.

Results

Of the 59 variables included in the first analysis step, only three variables were required to construct a generic partitioning model to classify high risk cannabis users with 65–73% accuracy. Based on the generic model for the four countries combined, the highest risk for cannabis use disorder is seen in participants reporting a cannabis use on more than 200 days in the last 12 months. In comparison to the generic model, the country-specific models led to modest, non-significant improvements in classification accuracy, with an exception for Italy (p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Using recursive partitioning, it is feasible to construct classification trees based on only a few variables with acceptable performance to classify cannabis users into groups with low or high risk of meeting criteria for cannabis use disorder. The number of cannabis use days in the last 12 months is the most relevant variable. The identified variables may be considered for use in future screeners for cannabis use disorders.

Chronic heavy drinking and ischaemic heart disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Previous meta-analyses have reported either a protective, neutral or detrimental association from chronic heavy drinking in relation to ischaemic heart disease (IHD). We investigated the potential for systematic error because of study design. Using MOOSE guidelines, studies were identified through MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science up to end of March, 2014. Epidemiological studies reporting on chronic heavy drinking and IHD risk in population studies and samples of people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) were included. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool eligible studies. The I² statistic was used to assess heterogeneity across studies. In total, 34 observational studies with 110 570 chronic heavy drinkers and 3086 IHD events were identified. In population studies among men, the pooled risk for IHD incidence (fatal+non-fatal events) among chronic heavy drinkers (on average ≥60 g pure alcohol/day) in comparison to lifetime abstainers (n=11 studies) was relative risk (RR)=1.04 (95% CI 0.83 to 1.31, I²=54%). Few studies were available for women. In patients with AUD, the risk of IHD mortality in comparison to the general population was elevated with a RR=1.62 (95% CI 1.34 to 1.95, I²=81%) in men and RR=2.09 (95% CI 1.28 to 3.41, I²=67%) in women. There was a general lack of adjustment other than sex and age in studies among patients with AUD. There is no systematic evidence for a protective association from any type of chronic heavy drinking on IHD risk. Patients with AUD were at higher risk for IHD mortality, but better quality evidence is needed with regard to potential confounding.

The potential impact of increased treatment rates for alcohol dependence in the United Kingdom in 2004

Background

Alcohol consumption has been linked to a considerable burden of disease in the United Kingdom (UK), with most of this burden due to heavy drinking and Alcohol Dependence (AD). However, AD is undertreated in the UK, with only 8% of those individuals with AD being treated in England and only 6% of those individuals with AD being treated in Scotland. Thus, the objective of this paper is to quantify the deaths that would have been avoided in the UK in 2004 if the treatment rate for AD had been increased.

Methods

Data on the prevalence of AD, alcohol consumption, and mortality were obtained from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, the Global Information System on Alcohol and Health, and the 2004 Global Burden of Disease study respectively. Data on the effectiveness of pharmacological treatment and Motivational Interviewing/Cognitive Behavioural Therapy were obtained from Cochrane reviews and meta-analyses. Simulations were used to model the number of deaths under different treatment scenarios. Sensitivity analyses were performed to model the effects of Brief Interventions and to examine the effect of using AD prevalence data obtained from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Results

In the UK, 320 female and 1,385 male deaths would have been avoided if treatment coverage of pharmacological treatment had been increased to 20%. This decrease in the number of deaths represents 7.9% of all alcohol-attributable deaths (7.0% of all alcohol-attributable deaths for women and 8.1% of all alcohol-attributable deaths for men). If we used lower AD prevalence rates obtained from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, then treatment coverage of pharmacological treatment in hospitals for 20% of the population with AD would have resulted in the avoidance of 529 deaths in 2004 (99 deaths avoided for women and 430 deaths avoided for men).

Conclusions

Increasing AD treatment in the UK would have led to a large number of deaths being avoided in 2004. Increased AD treatment rates not only impact mortality but also impact upon the large burden of disability and morbidity attributable to AD, as well as the associated social and economic burdens.