title: Alcohol consumption patterns and predictors of use following liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease.
abstract: For patients who receive a liver transplant (LTX) for alcoholic liver disease (ALD), investigators are focusing beyond survival to determine specific alcohol use outcomes. Studies suggest the use of alcohol ranges from 8 to 22% for the first post-transplant year with cumulative rates reaching 30 to 40% by 5 years following transplantation. Yet while investigators are interested in determining specific rates of alcohol use and predictors of use, only three studies since 1990 have been prospective. In 1998, we began a prospective study of post-LTX alcohol consumption in ALD recipients using multiple repeated measures of alcohol use. After 5 years of follow-up, we found that 22% had used any alcohol by the first year and 42% had a drink by 5 years. By 5 years, 26% drank at a heavier use (binge) pattern and 20% drank in a frequent pattern. In a univariate model, predictors of alcohol use included pre-transplant length of sobriety, a diagnosis of alcohol dependence, a history of other substance use, and prior alcohol rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. dimartiniaf@upmc.edu
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: DiMartini
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Mary Amanda
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dew
authors.forename: Lubna
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Javed
authors.forename: Mary Grace
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: John J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fontes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008108:Liver Diseases, Alcoholic / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics