title: Clinical and biochemical profile of alcohol users in Basra.
abstract: All psychiatric and general medical male patients referred to 2 hospitals in Basra, Iraq from September 2000 to April 2001 were screened using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. A total of 189 men were identified as having alcohol-related problems. The majority were aged 30-49 years, and two-thirds had drunk alcohol for over 10 years. About 53% of patients exceeded 1 bottle (750 mL) of spirits daily, and 14.8% reported morning drinking. Elevation of liver enzymes, hepatomegaly, jaundice and cirrhosis were identified in 46.0%. Liver cirrhosis was more common in patients drinking locally made arak. Many of the patients suffered psychiatric disorders, including anxiety disorders, depression and suicide attempts, and 80.9% took other psychoactive drugs.
authors.affiliation: 'Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Basra, Basra, Iraq.
authors.forename: J F A
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mossawe
authors.forename: N A J
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Al-Naama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015897:Comorbidity; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007493:Iraq / Q000453:epidemiology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*