A cross-sectional study of harmful alcohol consumption in acutely ill neurological patients of a general hospital

Nadezhdin A. V.
MD, PhD, Leading Researcher¹; Assistant Professor²

Tetenova E. J.
MD, PhD, Leading Researcher¹

Kolgashkin A. J.
Senior Researcher¹

Petukhov A. E.
MD, PhD (Pharmacology) Head, Chemical-Toxicological Laboratory, Reference Center for Monitoring of Psychoactive Substances¹; Assistant Professor, A.P. Arzamastsev Chair for Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Chemistry, A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy³

Davydova E. N.
MD, Deputy Head Physician⁴

Kruzhalov A. N.
MD, Head, Department for Neurology⁴

Koshkina E. A.
Doctor of Medicine, Professor, Head Researcher¹

1 - Moscow Research and Practical Centre on Addictions, Moscow, Russian Federation
2 - Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education, Moscow, Russian Federation
3 - Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation
4 - Demikhov Moscow Clinical Hospital, Moscow, Russian Federation

Nadezhdin Aleksei; e-mail: aminazin@inbox.ru.

None declared.

The study had no sponsorship.

Background. Alcohol abuse has a direct negative impact on many health-related problems. Materials and methods. Screening self-questionnaires (AUDIT-4) and a highly sensitive and specific marker of chronic alcohol intoxication phosphatidylethanol (PEth), were used to study the spread of alcohol-attributed pathology in acutely ill patients of the neurological department of a multidisciplinary city clinical hospital. The study was based on the data, collected at the Moscow site of a joint Norwegian-Russian observational, cross-sectional study conducted by the University Hospital of Oslo and Moscow Scientific and Practical Center for Addictions. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 software. Results of the study. 25,5% of patients in the neurological department demonstrated harmful use of alcohol (AUDIT-4 threshold ≥5 for women and ≥7 for men). PEth levels, indicating excessive alcohol consumption during 2-4 weeks before hospitalization, were noted in 24,5% of patients. 15,9% of patients admitted the fact of alcohol consumption past 24 hours. The largest proportion of patients with PEth levels equal to or exceeding 0,3 µmol/l was observed in the diagnostic group «Polyneuropathies and other lesions of the peripheral nervous system» (G60-G64) – 78,2%, followed by «Episodic and paroxysmal disorders» (G40-G47) – 47,3%, «Cerebrovascular diseases» (I60-I69) – 21,7% and «Other pathologies» – 16,7%. Conclusions. Our data confirm the need for short-term interventions by primary contact physicians, especially if an alcohol-attributed or alcohol-associated disease is diagnosed. This requires screening for alcohol consumption, preventive interventions and involvement of relevant professionals. The correct definition of the genesis of the disease will provide the patient with the most effective assistance and properly place emphasis in the composition of therapeutic programs.

AUDIT-4, phosphatidylethanol, hospitalization, alcohol-attributed disease, alcohol-associated disease, neurological disease, brief intervention

10.29234/2308-9113-2023-11-1-77-109

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