An integrated alcohol abuse and medical treatment model for patients with hepatitis C.
Journal Article (Clinical Trial;Journal Article)
BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have high rates of alcohol consumption, which is associated with progression of fibrosis and lower response rates to HCV treatment. AIMS: This prospective cohort study examined the feasibility of a 24-week integrated alcohol and medical treatment to HCV-infected patients. METHODS: Patients were recruited from a hepatology clinic if they had an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score >4 for women and >8 for men, suggesting hazardous alcohol consumption. The integrated model included patients receiving medical care and alcohol treatment within the same clinic. Alcohol treatment consisted of 6 months of group and individual therapy from an addictions specialist and consultation from a study team psychiatrist as needed. RESULTS: Sixty patients were initially enrolled, and 53 patients participated in treatment. The primary endpoint was the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) alcohol composite scores, which significantly decreased by 0.105 (41.7% reduction) between 0 and 3 months (P < 0.01) and by 0.128 (50.6% reduction) between 0 and 6 months (P < 0.01) after adjusting for covariates. Alcohol abstinence was reported by 40% of patients at 3 months and 44% at 6 months. Patients who did not become alcohol abstinent had reductions in their ASI alcohol composite scores from 0.298 at baseline to 0.219 (26.8% reduction) at 6 months (P = 0.08). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that an integrated model of alcohol treatment and medical care could be successfully implemented in a hepatology clinic with significant favorable impact on alcohol use and abstinence among patients with chronic HCV.
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Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Proeschold-Bell, RJ; Patkar, AA; Naggie, S; Coward, L; Mannelli, P; Yao, J; Bixby, P; Muir, AJ
Published Date
- April 2012
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 57 / 4
Start / End Page
- 1083 - 1091
PubMed ID
- 22134784
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC3586548
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1573-2568
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1007/s10620-011-1976-4
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States