BACKGROUND: Although the hepatitis C virus (HCV) alone increases the risk of cirrhosis, alcohol use is thought to act synergistically with HCV to significantly hasten the development of fibrosis. OBJECTIVE: The authors assessed the impact of brief medical counseling or integrated-care approaches to lessen or eliminate alcohol use in these vulnerable patients. METHOD: This retrospective study describes the effect of brief alcohol treatment delivered in a hepatitis clinic on drinking outcomes and antiviral treatment eligibility: 47 heavy-drinking chronic hepatitis C patients received a brief intervention performed by medical clinicians, with follow-up by a psychiatric nurse-specialist. RESULTS: At the last follow-up, 62% of patients reported >50% drinking reduction; these included 36% who achieved abstinence. Only 6% of patients were excluded from antiviral therapy. DISCUSSION: Brief treatment addressing heavy drinking delivered by hepatitis clinicians with psychiatric-specialist follow-up was associated with abstinence or a significant reduction in alcohol consumption in over 50% of patients.
BACKGROUND: Although the hepatitis C virus (HCV) alone increases the risk of cirrhosis, alcohol use is thought to act synergistically with HCV to significantly hasten the development of fibrosis. OBJECTIVE: The authors assessed the impact of brief medical counseling or integrated-care approaches to lessen or eliminate alcohol use in these vulnerable patients. METHOD: This retrospective study describes the effect of brief alcohol treatment delivered in a hepatitis clinic on drinking outcomes and antiviral treatment eligibility: 47 heavy-drinking chronic hepatitis Cpatients received a brief intervention performed by medical clinicians, with follow-up by a psychiatric nurse-specialist. RESULTS: At the last follow-up, 62% of patients reported >50% drinking reduction; these included 36% who achieved abstinence. Only 6% of patients were excluded from antiviral therapy. DISCUSSION: Brief treatment addressing heavy drinking delivered by hepatitis clinicians with psychiatric-specialist follow-up was associated with abstinence or a significant reduction in alcohol consumption in over 50% of patients.
Authors: Anam Khan; Aylin Tansel; Donna L White; Waleed Tallat Kayani; Shah Bano; Jan Lindsay; Hashem B El-Serag; Fasiha Kanwal Journal: Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol Date: 2015-08-06 Impact factor: 11.382
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Authors: Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell; Donna M Evon; Jia Yao; Donna Niedzwiecki; Christina Makarushka; Kelly A Keefe; Ashwin A Patkar; Paolo Mannelli; James C Garbutt; John B Wong; Julius M Wilder; Santanu K Datta; Terra Hodge; Susanna Naggie; Michael W Fried; Andrew J Muir Journal: Hepatology Date: 2020-03-24 Impact factor: 17.425
Authors: Adam T Perzynski; Richard McCormick; Noah J Webster; Carol E Blixen; Stephanie Kanuch; Charles L Thomas; Kevin D Mullen; Neal V Dawson Journal: J Stud Alcohol Drugs Date: 2011-09 Impact factor: 2.582
Authors: Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell; Donna M Evon; Christina Makarushka; John B Wong; Santanu K Datta; Jia Yao; Ashwin A Patkar; Paolo Mannelli; Terra Hodge; Susanna Naggie; Julius M Wilder; Michael W Fried; Donna Niedzwiecki; Andrew J Muir Journal: Contemp Clin Trials Date: 2018-07-10 Impact factor: 2.226
Authors: O Falade-Nwulia; S H Mehta; J Lasola; C Latkin; A Niculescu; C O'Connor; P Chaulk; K Ghanem; K R Page; M S Sulkowski; D L Thomas Journal: J Viral Hepat Date: 2016-02-03 Impact factor: 3.728