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Drinking Risk Level Reductions Associated with Improvements in Physical Health and Quality of Life Among Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder
Author(s) -
Witkiewitz Katie,
Kranzler Henry R.,
Hallgren Kevin A.,
O'Malley Stephanie S.,
Falk Daniel E.,
Litten Raye Z.,
Hasin Deborah S.,
Mann Karl F.,
Anton Raymond F.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13897
Subject(s) - medicine , alcohol use disorder , environmental health , abstinence , quality of life (healthcare) , placebo , alcohol dependence , alcohol , psychiatry , biochemistry , chemistry , alternative medicine , nursing , pathology
Background Abstinence and no heavy drinking days are currently the only Food and Drug Administration–approved end points in clinical trials for alcohol use disorder ( AUD ). Many individuals who fail to meet these criteria may substantially reduce their drinking during treatment, and most individuals with AUD prefer drinking reduction goals. One‐ and two‐level reductions in World Health Organization ( WHO ) drinking risk levels have been proposed as alternative end points that reflect reduced drinking and are associated with reductions in drinking consequences, improvements in mental health, and reduced risk of developing alcohol dependence. The current study examined the association between WHO drinking risk level reductions and improvements in physical health and quality of life in a sample of individuals with alcohol dependence. Methods Secondary data analysis of individuals with alcohol dependence ( n = 1,142) enrolled in the longitudinal, prospective COMBINE study, a multi site randomized placebo‐controlled clinical trial, examining the association between reductions in WHO drinking risk levels and change in blood pressure, liver enzyme levels, and self‐reported quality of life following treatment for alcohol dependence. Results One‐ and two‐level reductions in WHO drinking risk level during treatment were associated with significant reductions in systolic blood pressure ( p < 0.001), improvements in liver enzyme levels (all p < 0.01), and significantly better quality of life ( p < 0.001). Conclusions One‐ and two‐level reductions in WHO drinking risk levels predicted significant improvements in markers of physical health and quality of life, suggesting that the WHO drinking risk level reduction could be a meaningful surrogate marker of improvements in how a person “feels and functions” following treatment for alcohol dependence. The WHO drinking risk levels could be useful in medical practice for identifying drinking reduction targets that correspond with clinically significant improvements in health and quality of life.