Living Donor Liver Transplantation for Alcoholic Liver Disease
ConclusionThere is a very limited amount of data available on LDLT for ALD. Existing data suggests that LDLT for ALD results in excellent outcomes.Short SummaryPublished data on living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) for alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are limited. One- and five-year survival rates range from 82% to 100% and 78% to 87%, respectively. Rates of alcohol relapse following transplant appear low, ranging from 7% to 23%; 6-month abstinence periods prior to LDLT for ALD do not appear to have a significant impact on relapse. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 23, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Alcohol Content in the ‘Hyper-Reality’ MTV Show ‘Geordie Shore’
ConclusionsAlcohol content, including branding, is highly prevalent in the UK Reality TV show ‘Geordie Shore’ Series 11. Two-thirds of all alcohol branding occurred in episodes age-rated by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) as suitable for viewers aged 15 years. The organizations OfCom, Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Portman Group should implement more effect ive policies to reduce adolescent exposure to on-screen drinking. The drinks industry should consider demanding the withdrawal of their brands from the show.Short SummaryAlcohol content, including branding, is highly prevalent in the M...
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 21, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Self-Reported Knowledge, Correct Knowledge and use of UK Drinking Guidelines Among a Representative Sample of the English Population
ConclusionsTwo decades after their introduction, previous UK drinking guidelines were not well known or used by current drinkers. Those who reported using them tended to overestimate recommended daily limits.SHORT SUMMARYWe examined public knowledge and use of UK drinking guidelines just before new guidelines were released (2016). Despite previous guidelines being in place for two decades, only one in four drinkers accurately estimated these, with even fewer using guidelines to monitor drinking. Approximately 8% of drinkers overestimated maximum daily limits. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 17, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Treatment for Alcohol Dependence in Primary Care Compared to Outpatient Specialist Treatment —A Randomized Controlled Trial
ConclusionsTreatment for alcohol dependence in primary care is a promising approach, especially for individuals with low to moderate dependence. This may be a way to broaden the base of treatment for alcohol dependence, reducing the current treatment gap. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 16, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Changing Collective Social Norms in Favour of Reduced Harmful Use of Alcohol: A Review of Reviews
ConclusionsPurposeful policies and programmes could be implemented to change collective social norms in disfavour of the harmful use of alcohol; they should be evidence-based and fully evaluated for their impact. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 16, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Commentary on ‘Communicating Messages About Drinking’: Using the ‘Big Legal Guns’ to Block Alcohol Health Warning Labels
AbstractLike the tobacco industry, the alcohol industry, with the support of governments in alcohol exporting nations, is looking to international trade and investment law as a means to oppose health warning labels on alcohol. The threat of such litigation, let alone its commencement, has the potential to deter all but the most resolute governments from implementing health warning labeling. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 16, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Commentary: Alcohol and Alcoholism Special Issue on ‘Alcohol and Liver Transplantation’
(Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 16, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
A Formative Evaluation of Two FASD Prevention Communication Strategies
ConclusionsFASD prevention messages, particularly paired with pregnancy test dispensers, in the women ’s restrooms of establishments that serve alcohol can effectively promote informed alcohol consumption decisions among women who are, or may become, pregnant.Short SummaryIn this FASD prevention feasibility study, we found that FASD prevention messages, particularly paired with pregnancy test dispensers, placed in the women ’s restrooms of establishments that serve alcohol can effectively promote informed alcohol consumption decisions among women who are, or may become, pregnant. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 10, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Effectiveness of Mass Media Campaigns to Reduce Alcohol Consumption and Harm: A Systematic Review
ConclusionMass media health campaigns about alcohol are often recalled by individuals, have achieved changes in knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about alcohol but there is little evidence of reductions in alcohol consumption.Short summaryThere is little evidence that mass media campaigns have reduced alcohol consumption although most did not state that they aimed to do so. Studies show recall of campaigns is high and that they can have an impact on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about alcohol consumption. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 10, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Proscriptive vs. Prescriptive Health Recommendations to Drink Alcohol Within Recommended Limits: Effects on Moral Norms, Reactance, Attitudes, Intentions and Behaviour Change
ConclusionsProscriptive messages may be effective at eliciting stronger moral norms to drink within government recommended guidelines. However, reactance may occur for high relevance groups. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 10, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Alcohol Use in Adolescence and Later Working Memory: Findings From a Large Population-Based Birth Cohort
ConclusionsWe found weak evidence of an association between sustained heavy alcohol use in mid-adolescence and impaired WM 3 years later. Although we cannot fully rule out the possibility of reverse causation, several potential confounding variables were included to address the directionality of the relationship between WM and alcohol use problems. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 10, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Judgement of Breath Alcohol Concentration Levels Among Pedestrians in the Night-Time Economy —A Street-Intercept Field Study
ConclusionsDrinkers in this naturalistic setting have little idea of their level of intoxication, as measured by BrAC. However, this uncertainty may be advantageous to public health outcomes, since if drinkers are uncertain about their level of intoxication relative to the legal limit, this may lead them to avoid drunk driving.Short SummaryA field study of drinkers in the night-time economy of a New Zealand university town was conducted to evaluate how well drinkers can assess their breath alcohol concentration (BrAC). Drinkers in this setting inaccurately estimate their intoxication, and those with higher BrAC tended to u...
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 10, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Effects of Alcohol Cues on MRS Glutamate Levels in the Anterior Cingulate
AbstractGrowing evidence suggests that glutamate neurotransmission plays a critical role in alcohol addiction. Cue-induced change of glutamate has been observed in animal studies but never been investigated in humans. This work investigates cue-induced change in forebrain glutamate in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). A total of 35 subjects (17 individuals with AUD and 18 healthy controls) participated in this study. The glutamate concentration was measured with single-voxel1H-MR spectroscopy at the dorsal anterior cingulate. Two MRS sessions were performed in succession, the first to establish basal glutamate l...
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 10, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Co-existing Hepatitis C and Alcoholic Liver Disease: A Diminishing Indication for Liver Transplantation?
ConclusionAntiviral therapy in patients with HCV plus alcohol should improve pre- and post-transplant outcomes, but providers must remain firm in limiting use of alcohol to avoid progression of liver disease post HCV cure.Short SummaryAbusive alcohol use and chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) commonly co-exist and both need to be addressed in liver disease. With high rates of HCV cure with new therapies, attention needs to turn toward ongoing abusive alcohol patterns that may determinately impact liver health both before and after liver transplant. (Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism)
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 10, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Insula Sensitivity to Unfairness in Alcohol Use Disorder
ConclusionWe found differential group temporal dynamics of behavioral response in the UG. The HC group had a low acceptance rate for unfair offers in the first two runs that increased markedly for the third run; whereas the AUD group was consistent in their rejection of unfair offers across the three runs. We found a strong significant decrease in neural response across runs for both groups.Short summaryThis fMRI study of UG in alcohol use disorder found behavioral group differences in acceptance rate across runs, which together with significant BOLD-signal decrease across runs in UG-related regions in both groups, highlig...
Source: Alcohol and Alcoholism - January 4, 2018 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
