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Prevalence of alcohol misuse among men and women undergoing major noncardiac surgery in the Veterans Affairs health care system

Bradley, Katharine A ; Rubinsky, Anna D ; Sun, Haili ; Blough, David K ; Tønnesen, Hanne LU ; Hughes, Grant ; Beste, Lauren A ; Bishop, Michael J ; Hawn, Mary T and Maynard, Charles , et al. (2012) In Surgery 152(1). p.69-81
Abstract
Background
Patients who screen positive for alcohol misuse on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test Consumption Questionnaire (AUDIT-C ≥5 points) have significantly increased postoperative complications. Severe alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C ≥9 points) is associated with increased postoperative health care use; however, little is known about the prevalence of alcohol misuse in demographic and clinical subgroups of surgical patients.
Methods
The prevalence of alcohol misuse was evaluated among 10,284 patients (9,771 men and 513 women) who underwent major noncardiac surgery in Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals during the fiscal years 2004 to 2006 and completed the AUDIT-C. Sex-stratified analyses evaluated prevalence rates of... (More)
Background
Patients who screen positive for alcohol misuse on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test Consumption Questionnaire (AUDIT-C ≥5 points) have significantly increased postoperative complications. Severe alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C ≥9 points) is associated with increased postoperative health care use; however, little is known about the prevalence of alcohol misuse in demographic and clinical subgroups of surgical patients.
Methods
The prevalence of alcohol misuse was evaluated among 10,284 patients (9,771 men and 513 women) who underwent major noncardiac surgery in Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals during the fiscal years 2004 to 2006 and completed the AUDIT-C. Sex-stratified analyses evaluated prevalence rates of alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C ≥5) and severe misuse (AUDIT-C ≥9) across demographic and clinical subgroups.
Results
Overall, 1,607 (16%) men and 24 (5%) women screened positive for alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C ≥5) in the year before operation, with 4% and 2% screening positive for severe misuse (AUDIT-C ≥9), respectively. Alcohol misuse was more common among men who were <60 years of age, divorced or separated, current smokers, or American Stoke Association class 1 or 2, and those with cirrhosis/hepatitis or substance use disorders. Among patients with alcohol misuse, 36% of men and 58% of women were American Society of Anesthesiologists class 1 or 2, and most did not have diagnoses that were commonly associated with alcohol misuse.
Conclusion
Alcohol misuse is relatively common in male surgical patients. Moreover, surgical patients undergoing operation who screen positive for alcohol misuse are often relatively healthy, without health problems that might alert providers to their alcohol misuse in the absence of screening. (Less)
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publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Surgery
volume
152
issue
1
pages
13 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:84862871659
ISSN
0039-6060
DOI
10.1016/j.surg.2012.02.007
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
acacbebf-1bfc-48bd-a820-06e91f5caa4c
date added to LUP
2018-12-06 15:36:46
date last changed
2022-01-31 07:39:07
@article{acacbebf-1bfc-48bd-a820-06e91f5caa4c,
  abstract     = {{Background<br>
Patients who screen positive for alcohol misuse on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test Consumption Questionnaire (AUDIT-C ≥5 points) have significantly increased postoperative complications. Severe alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C ≥9 points) is associated with increased postoperative health care use; however, little is known about the prevalence of alcohol misuse in demographic and clinical subgroups of surgical patients.<br>
Methods<br>
The prevalence of alcohol misuse was evaluated among 10,284 patients (9,771 men and 513 women) who underwent major noncardiac surgery in Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals during the fiscal years 2004 to 2006 and completed the AUDIT-C. Sex-stratified analyses evaluated prevalence rates of alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C ≥5) and severe misuse (AUDIT-C ≥9) across demographic and clinical subgroups.<br>
Results<br>
Overall, 1,607 (16%) men and 24 (5%) women screened positive for alcohol misuse (AUDIT-C ≥5) in the year before operation, with 4% and 2% screening positive for severe misuse (AUDIT-C ≥9), respectively. Alcohol misuse was more common among men who were &lt;60 years of age, divorced or separated, current smokers, or American Stoke Association class 1 or 2, and those with cirrhosis/hepatitis or substance use disorders. Among patients with alcohol misuse, 36% of men and 58% of women were American Society of Anesthesiologists class 1 or 2, and most did not have diagnoses that were commonly associated with alcohol misuse.<br>
Conclusion<br>
Alcohol misuse is relatively common in male surgical patients. Moreover, surgical patients undergoing operation who screen positive for alcohol misuse are often relatively healthy, without health problems that might alert providers to their alcohol misuse in the absence of screening.}},
  author       = {{Bradley, Katharine A and Rubinsky, Anna D and Sun, Haili and Blough, David K and Tønnesen, Hanne and Hughes, Grant and Beste, Lauren A and Bishop, Michael J and Hawn, Mary T and Maynard, Charles and Harris, Alex S H and Hawkins, Eric J and Bryson, Chris L and Houston, Thomas K and Henderson, William G and Kivlahan, Daniel R}},
  issn         = {{0039-6060}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{69--81}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Surgery}},
  title        = {{Prevalence of alcohol misuse among men and women undergoing major noncardiac surgery in the Veterans Affairs health care system}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.surg.2012.02.007}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.surg.2012.02.007}},
  volume       = {{152}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}