title: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Extended Brief Intervention for Alcohol-Dependent Patients in an Acute Hospital Setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether alcohol-dependent patients in a hospital setting benefit from extended brief interventions (EBI) delivered by an Alcohol Specialist Nurse.
  
  
  METHODS
  Alcohol-dependent patients recruited via screening at the emergency department (ED) (n = 267), whether or not admitted to hospital, were randomized to EBI (up to six counselling sessions offered) or control. At 6 months, 84.2% of patients were assessed by a researcher blinded to the intervention. The primary outcome was a fall in Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference between groups in the primary outcome [odds ratio (OR) 1.02; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.38, 2.75, P = 0.97]. Secondary outcomes including alcohol consumption and readiness to change did not show a significant difference between groups. However, all secondary outcome measures improved, on average, in both arms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although EBI can be delivered in an ED or inpatient setting, it was not shown to be an advantage over screening and usual management (which included advice on alternative services), with patients in both groups showing an average improvement.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ISRCTN78062794.
authors.affiliation: The Wolfson Centre for Personalised Medicine, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool , 1-5 Brownlow Street, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK lynno@liv.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Street, Liverpool L69 3GS, UK.
authors.forename: Ruwanthi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kolamunnage-Dona
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, Town Lane, Southport PR8 6PN, UK.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Owens
authors.affiliation: Health and Community Care Research Unit, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L69 3GB, UK.
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, Town Lane, Southport PR8 6PN, UK.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Butcher
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool , Brownlow Street, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Service Research, University of Liverpool , 70 Pembrooke Place, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beale
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Service Research, University of Liverpool , 70 Pembrooke Place, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mahon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Street, Liverpool L69 3GS, UK.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital NHS Trust , Prescot Street, Liverpool L7 8XP, UK.
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gilmore
authors.affiliation: The Wolfson Centre for Personalised Medicine, Institute of Translational Medicine, University of Liverpool , 1-5 Brownlow Street, Liverpool L69 3GL, UK.
authors.forename: Munir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirmohamed
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000628:therapy*; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000379:methods; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult