title: Alcohol Consumption Increases Post-Operative Infection but Not Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol consumption causes multiple comorbidities with potentially negative outcome after operations. The aims are to study the association between alcohol consumption and post-operative non-surgical site infections and mortality and to determine the impact of peri-operative interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  MEDLINE, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched systematically. Observational studies reporting patients with a defined amount of alcohol consumption and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed at reducing outcomes were included. Meta-analyses were performed separately for observational studies and RCTs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen observational studies and five RCTs were identified. Meta-analyses of observational studies showed more infections in those consuming more than two units of alcohol per day compared with drinking less in both unadjusted and adjusted data. No association between alcohol consumption and mortality was found. Meta-analyses of RCTs showed that interventions reduce infections but not mortality in patients with alcohol abuse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consumption of more than two units of alcohol per day increases post-operative non-surgical site infections. Alcohol-refraining interventions in patients with high daily alcohol consumption appear to reduce infections. The impact in patients with lesser intake is unknown. Further studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, Bispebjerg University Hospital , Copenhagen, Denmark .
authors.forename: Daniel Mønsted
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Shabanzadeh
authors.affiliation: Digestive Disease Center, Bispebjerg University Hospital , Copenhagen, Denmark .
authors.forename: Lars Tue
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Sørensen
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D016019:Survival Analysis