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Update on Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health

Update on Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health. March–April 2009. Studies on Interventions & Assessments. Brief Intervention in the Hospital May Reduce Prescription Drug Misuse. Zahradnik A, et al. Addiction. 2009;104(1):109–117. Summary by Peter D. Friedmann, MD, MPH. Objectives/Methods.

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Update on Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health

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  1. Update on Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Health March–April 2009 www.aodhealth.org

  2. Studies on Interventions & Assessments www.aodhealth.org

  3. Brief Intervention in the Hospital May Reduce Prescription Drug Misuse Zahradnik A, et al. Addiction. 2009;104(1):109–117. Summary by Peter D. Friedmann, MD, MPH www.aodhealth.org

  4. Objectives/Methods • To determine the efficacy of brief intervention for prescription drug (PD) use among hospitalized patients, investigators in Germany randomized 126 inpatients with: • PD abuse or dependence, or • PD use on more than 60 days in the previous 3 months, to receive either: • a booklet on health behavior (control), or • brief intervention (BI) consisting of 2 motivational interviewing counseling sessions and individualized written feedback. www.aodhealth.org

  5. Results • Fifty-two percent of subjects in the BI group had a clinically significant reduction (25% or more from baseline) in daily PD dosage compared with 30% in the control group. • BI subjects tended toward greater reductions in PD use from baseline than controls (0.42 versus 0.12, respectively). • BI subjects tended to discontinue PD use more than controls (18% versus 9%, respectively). www.aodhealth.org

  6. Comments • BI among hospitalized patients may reduce PD misuse. • This study involved well-trained counseling staff, 30-45 minute counseling sessions, and telephone follow-up. It remains unclear whether regular hospital personnel with multiple clinical responsibilities could realize similar results. www.aodhealth.org

  7. QTc Screening When Prescribing Methadone:A Practice Guideline Krantz MJ, et al. JAMA. 2008;300(5):550–554. Summary by Richard Saitz, MD, MPH www.aodhealth.org

  8. Objectives/Methods • Methadone may prolong the rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) and result in torsade de pointes. Prolonged Qtc occurs in about 2% of patients taking methadone for opioid dependence. • To establish the clinical significance and implications of this association, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment convened an independent panel to synthesize evidence and formulate practice guidelines regarding QTc screening. www.aodhealth.org

  9. Results • Panel recommendations for clinicians treating patients with methadone are as follows: • Inform patients of arrhythmia risk. • Ask about heart disease, arrhythmia, and syncope. • Measure pretreatment QTc. Conduct repeat measures at 30 days and annually (more often if the dose is >100 mg/day or if unexplained syncope or seizures occur). • Discuss the risks and benefits and increase monitoring if the QTc interval is >450 ms but <500 ms. • Consider discontinuation, dose reduction, or elimination of concomitant arrhythmia risks if the QTc interval exceeds 500 ms. • Be aware of other medications that could prolong the QTc or slow elimination of methadone. www.aodhealth.org

  10. Results (cont’d) The panel noted that the guideline may not apply to patients with terminal, intractable cancer pain. www.aodhealth.org 10

  11. Comments • Although this practice guideline is important, the evidence upon which it is based is sparse, and the benefits or risks of not using methadone are not discussed. • Implementation poses difficulties, since addiction treatment is often delivered separately from other medical care. • The arrhythmia risk addressed by this guideline is another reason why addiction treatment can benefit from integration with other medical care to assure patient safety and quality care. www.aodhealth.org

  12. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment: Evaluation of National Implementation Madras BK, et al. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2009;99(1–3):280–295. Summary by Marc N. Gourevitch, MD, MPH www.aodhealth.org

  13. Objectives/Methods • To evaluate the impact of routine screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for illicit drug use, researchers evaluated the impact of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment’s 2003, 6-state implementation of large-scale SBIRT initiatives. • Twenty-three percent of the 459,599 patients included in the initial screening tested positive for risky or problematic alcohol or drug use in the prior 30 days. www.aodhealth.org

  14. Objectives/Methods (cont’d) • Based on the severity of their disorder, • 70% of patients who screened positive were recommended for brief intervention (BI), • 14% were recommended for brief treatment (BT), and • 16% were referred to specialty treatment (RT). • Protocols for treatment varied across sites. • Ten percent of patients who screened positive were randomly selected for reassessment at 6 months. www.aodhealth.org 14

  15. Results • Self-reported rates of heavy alcohol use and illicit drug use decreased by 39% and 68%, respectively. • Self-reported rates of overall and mental health, employment, housing status, and criminality among persons receiving BT or RT improved significantly. www.aodhealth.org

  16. Comments • Although the decreases in substance use are striking, it is unclear to what extent self-reported improvements reflected true changes in use or participants’ desire to give the “correct” answer at follow-up. • Also, since only those participants who screened positive were selected for follow-up, possible increases in drug use among persons not using at baseline were not detected. • Randomized controlled trials of SBIRT for illicit drug use are needed to further test the efficacy of this clearly promising intervention. www.aodhealth.org

  17. Can Prazosin Be Used to Treat Alcohol Dependence? Simpson TL, et al. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2008;32(11);1–9. Summary by Kevin L. Kraemer, MD, MSc www.aodhealth.org

  18. Objectives/Methods • Prazosin, an alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist, may reduce central nervous system adrenergic activity and disrupt alcohol reinforcement and relapse. • To assess the potential of prazosin to treat alcohol dependence, researchers randomized 24 persons with alcohol dependence (mean age, 45 years; 79% male, 83% white) to prazosin or placebo and followed them for 6 weeks. • Participants attended 5 medical management sessions* and carried pagers reminding them daily to take medication and call in self-reports. *Initial session was 30–45 minutes; subsequent sessions were 10 minutes each. www.aodhealth.org

  19. Results • Participants in the prazosin group reported fewer drinking days per week than those in the placebo group (3.2 versus 5.6) over the last 3 weeks of the study. No difference was seen between groups in mean drinks per week. • Among men (17 of the 20 participants who completed the study), those in the prazosin group reported fewer drinking days per week (0.9 versus 5.7) and mean drinks per week (2.6 versus 20.8) than the placebo group over the last 3 weeks of the study. • Alcohol craving did not differ between the 2 groups. www.aodhealth.org

  20. Comments • This small pilot study suggests prazosin may have potential for treating alcohol dependence. • The researchers believe the restriction of benefit to the last 3 weeks of the 6-week study was because prazosin was not titrated to full dose until the end of week 2. • Larger studies are needed to fully assess the efficacy of prazosin for treating alcohol dependence. www.aodhealth.org

  21. Rawson RA, et al. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2008;35(3):279–284.Summary by David A. Fiellin, MD Treating Methamphetamine Dependence Reduces Risk for HIV www.aodhealth.org

  22. Objectives/Methods • Behavioral treatments may be effective in reducing methamphetamine use and decreasing HIV risk behaviors among those using illicit drugs. • The current study followed 787 methamphetamine- dependent individuals who received 1 of 2 counseling strategies: • 16 weeks of a standardized psychosocial protocol, or • 8–16 weeks of treatment-as-usual representing 8 diverse treatment approaches. • Both approaches focused on drug use, not HIV risk. www.aodhealth.org

  23. Results • The proportion of the sample who reported injecting methamphetamine within the previous 30 days declined significantly (14.6% to 5.4%) from baseline to discharge. • High-risk sexual activity also decreased: • There were significant associations between treatment retention and HIV risk outcomes. www.aodhealth.org

  24. Comments • This study demonstrates the benefit of counseling for patients with methamphetamine dependence. • Treatment was associated with decreased methamphetamine use and decreased risk for HIV infection. • The association between treatment retention and reduced HIV risk supports the implementation of programs that reduce barriers for treatment entry and retention. www.aodhealth.org

  25. Copello A, et al.Addiction. 2009;104(1):49–58.Summary by Peter D. Friedmann, MD, MPH Brief Family Treatment in Primary Care Might Lessen the Burden of Having an Addicted Relative www.aodhealth.org

  26. Objectives/Methods • To determine whether primary care interventions ease the burden of addiction for family members, investigators in England cluster-randomized primary healthcare professionals (PHCPs) from 136 practices to provide either: • brief intervention (self-help manual with introduction session), or • full intervention (self-help manual and up to 5 face-to-face manual-guided counseling sessions delivered by a PHCP) to 143 people affected by a relative’s substance use problem. www.aodhealth.org

  27. Objectives/Methods (cont’d) Eighty-six percent of participants were women (mean age, 45). Few had sought help. The substance-using relative was a husband or male partner for 42% of participants and a child for 36%. Alcohol was the main substance of abuse for 59% and drugs for 36%. www.aodhealth.org 27

  28. Results • At 12-week follow-up, family members in both study arms showed significant reductions in stress and improvements in coping skills, with no differences detected between the groups. www.aodhealth.org

  29. Comments • These results suggest that a brief intervention delivered by primary care staff may help family members as well as a more intensive one. • Brief family treatment in primary care settings merits further study to determine whether delivery from a primary care provider could supplement or replace therapy by a well-trained family or marital therapist. www.aodhealth.org

  30. Is the 3-Item AUDIT-Cas Accurate as the Full 10-Item AUDIT in Detecting Unhealthy Alcohol Use? Kriston L, et al. Ann Intern Med. 2008;149(12):879–888. Summary by Kevin L. Kraemer, MD, MSc www.aodhealth.org www.aodhealth.org 30

  31. Objectives/Methods To assess the correlation between the 10-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and its first 3 items, the AUDIT-C (for “consumption”), researchers conducted a meta-analysis of published studies directly comparing the AUDIT with the AUDIT-C. Fourteen studies were selected by independent reviewers according to defined inclusion and quality criteria. www.aodhealth.org www.aodhealth.org 31

  32. Results Overall, the operating characteristics of the AUDIT and AUDIT-C did not differ in detecting risky drinking,* alcohol use disorders,** and unhealthy alcohol use† among primary care patients. Pooled estimates of the positive likelihood ratio (how many times more likely the condition is present in someone with a positive versus a negative result) were higher for the AUDIT than for the AUDIT-C for risky drinking (6.6 versus 3.0), alcohol use disorders (4.0 versus 3.8), and unhealthy alcohol use (4.8 versus 3.9). *consumption above recommended level or heavy episodic drinking in the past 12 months. **harmful drinking, alcohol abuse, or alcohol dependence. †risky drinking or any alcohol use disorder. www.aodhealth.org www.aodhealth.org 32

  33. Results (cont’d) Positive predictive values (the proportion of patients with positive test results who have the disease) for risky drinking over a prevalence range of 5–50% were higher for the AUDIT than for the AUDIT-C. However, both positive and negative predictive values (the proportion of patients with negative test results who do not have the disease) for alcohol use disorders and unhealthy alcohol use were similar over the same prevalence range. Results did not vary by age and gender. www.aodhealth.org www.aodhealth.org 33 33

  34. Comments The AUDIT and AUDIT-C have similar operating characteristics for detecting unhealthy alcohol use. Interestingly, the area where the AUDIT had a small advantage was in detecting risky drinking, which is dependent on the 3 consumption questions common to both instruments. The AUDIT-C has the advantage of being short and potentially cost-saving. The AUDIT has the advantage of inclusion of items on adverse consequences that can be used as a starting point for further assessment and counseling. Clinicians should use whichever of the 2 instruments they can practically and consistently integrate into their clinical practice. www.aodhealth.org www.aodhealth.org 34

  35. Studies of Health Outcomes www.aodhealth.org

  36. Conen D, et al. JAMA. 2008;300(21):2489–2496.Summary by Julia H. Arnsten, MD Risk of Atrial Fibrillation Rises in Women Consuming 2 or More Drinks per Day www.aodhealth.org

  37. Objectives/Methods • Investigators analyzed data from 34,715 women participating in the Women's Health Study to assess the effects of regular alcohol consumption on the risk of atrial fibrillation. • Participants were ≥45 years old and had no atrial fibrillation at baseline. • Alcohol consumption was assessed via questionnaire at the beginning of the study and at 48 months. • Atrial fibrillation was self-reported on yearly questionnaires and subsequently confirmed by medical record review. www.aodhealth.org

  38. Results • During a median follow-up of 12.4 years, there were 653 new cases of atrial fibrillation: • 294 events (1.9 percent) among women consuming no alcohol (n=15,370); • 284 events (1.8 percent) among women consuming more than 0 but less than 1 drink per day (n=15,758); • 35 events (1.6 percent) among women consuming 1 or more but less than 2 drinks per day (n=2228); and • 40 events (2.9 percent) among women consuming 2 or more drinks per day (n=1359). www.aodhealth.org

  39. Results (cont’d) • The absolute-risk increase among women consuming 2 or more drinks per day was 0.66 events per 1000 person-years. • After adjusting for age, systolic blood pressure, hypertension, body mass index, smoking, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, exercise, race/ethnicity, and education, consuming at least 2 alcoholic beverages per day remained significantly associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation (hazard ratio, 1.60). www.aodhealth.org 39

  40. Comments • These results demonstrate that alcohol consumption of less than 2 drinks per day is not associated with an increased risk of incident atrial fibrillation among middle-aged women. • The results also suggest a threshold effect at approximately 2 drinks per day. www.aodhealth.org

  41. Moderate Drinkers Are at Lower Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis Källberg H, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2009;68(2):222–227. Summary by R. Curtis Ellison, MD www.aodhealth.org

  42. Objectives/Methods • The goal of this study was to determine the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk and alcohol consumption in combination with smoking and the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope (SE). • Cross-sectional analysis of data from 2 independent case-control studies: • the Swedish Epidemiological Investigation of Rheumatoid Arthritis (1204 cases and 871 controls), and • the Danish Case-Control Study on Rheumatoid Arthritis (444 cases and 533 controls), were used to estimate odds ratios of developing RA based on the amount of alcohol consumed. www.aodhealth.org

  43. Results • Alcohol consumption was dose-dependently associated with a reduced risk of RA: • Among alcohol consumers, the quarter with the highest consumption (4.9 or more drinks* per week in one study and 12 or more drinks per week in the other) had a decreased risk of RA of 40–50% compared with the half with the lowest consumption. • For the subset of RA characterized by the presence of antibodies to citrullinated peptide antigens, alcohol consumption reduced the risk most prominently in smokers carrying HLA-DRB1 SE alleles. *1 drink = 16 g alcohol for both studies; the US standard drink =14 g alcohol). www.aodhealth.org

  44. Comments • The main findings of this study suggest alcohol may protect against RA. • However, since this was a cross-sectional analysis, causation cannot be determined. The benefits attributed to alcohol were especially prevalent in people with RA of long duration, raising the possibility of reverse causality (i.e., patients with RA may stop drinking after they get the disease; hence, they could be classified as "nondrinkers“). • Nevertheless, these results provide additional evidence that RA may occur less frequently among people who drink. www.aodhealth.org

  45. Sundell L, et al. Stroke. 2008;39(12):3179–3184.Summary by R. Curtis Ellison, MD Heavy Episodic Drinking, Not Average Alcohol Intake, Increases Risk of Stroke www.aodhealth.org

  46. Objectives/Methods • Researchers in Finland conducted a prospective cohort study of 15,965 men and women age 25 to 64 years to evaluate the effect of drinking patterns on stroke risk over a 10-year period. • Participants had no history of stroke at baseline. The first stroke event during 10 years of follow-up served as the outcome of interest. • Analyses were adjusted for: www.aodhealth.org

  47. Results • No relationship was seen between average alcohol intake and risk of total stroke or ischemic stroke. • After adjusting for alcohol consumption, age, and sex, the hazard ratio (HR) for stroke in persons with heavy episodic drinking* was 1.85 (95% CI, 1.35–2.54) compared with persons with no heavy episodic drinking. • The HR for ischemic stroke was 1.99 (95% CI, 1.39–2.87) among persons with heavy episodic drinking compared with persons with no heavy episodic drinking. The association remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders. • Heavy episodic drinking had no effect on the risk of hemorrhagic stroke. * defined as consuming 6 or more drinks in men or 4 or more drinks in women in 1 session. www.aodhealth.org

  48. Comments • Despite the large number of persons with heavy alcohol consumption included in this study, average alcohol intake was not related to stroke risk over 10 years of follow-up. • However, heavy episodic drinking was associated with a 40–60% higher relative risk of ischemic stroke in adjusted analyses. • This analysis supports an increasingly common finding that pattern of drinking may be the most important determinant of health effects from alcohol consumption. www.aodhealth.org

  49. Oeltmann JE, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(2):189–197.Summary by Alexander Y. Walley, MD, Msc Substance Abuse Linked to Tuberculosis Transmission and Treatment Failure in the United States www.aodhealth.org 49

  50. Objectives/Methods Although tuberculosis (TB) prevalence is low in the United States, local outbreaks among people with substance abuse have been reported. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed records of all reported TB cases in the United States from 1997–2006 to assess the role of substance abuse in the transmission and treatment of TB. Substance abuse was defined as defined as self-reported excessive alcohol use, noninjection drug use, or injection drug use during the year before TB diagnosis. www.aodhealth.org 50

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