Sleep features in alcohol use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of polysomnographic findings in case-control studies

Background and objectives Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is often linked to sleep problems, but previous studies on sleep abnormalities in AUD have produced inconsistent results. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of objectively measured sleep abnormalities in AUD and determine the impact of related and demographic factors on sleep disturbance. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search of several databases from 1968 to 2023 to identify relevant studies. A total of 12 studies, consisting of 13 datasets, were included in the analysis. We extracted information on sleep microarchitecture, as well as demographic and clinical features, from each study. The GRADE approach was used to assess the reliability and strength of the evidence. Results Patients with AUD exhibited several sleep abnormalities, including longer sleep onset latency, lower sleep efficiency, increased stage 1 sleep, decreased stage 2 sleep, reduced slow wave sleep, and elevated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep density and first REM minute. The sleep patterns in individuals with AUD were also influenced by factors such as ethnicity, age, gender, and abstinence period. Conclusions This study is the largest quantitative assessment of impaired sleep as a diagnostic marker in patients with AUD. Understanding the sleep patterns of individuals with AUD can assist clinicians in developing effective treatment plans for managing sleep-related symptoms associated with AUD. (AU)

Guidelines for Reasonable and Appropriate Care in the Emergency Department (GRACE-4): Alcohol use disorder and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome management in the emergency department.

The fourth Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Guidelines for Reasonable and Appropriate Care in the Emergency Department (GRACE-4) is on the topic of the emergency department (ED) management of nonopioid use disorders and focuses on alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS), alcohol use disorder (AUD), and cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). The SAEM GRACE-4 Writing Team, composed of emergency physicians and experts in addiction medicine and patients with lived experience, applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to assess the certainty of evidence and strength of recommendations regarding six priority questions for adult ED patients with AWS, AUD, and CHS. The SAEM GRACE-4 Writing Team reached the following recommendations: (1) in adult ED patients (over the age of 18) with moderate to severe AWS who are being admitted to hospital, we suggest using phenobarbital in addition to benzodiazepines compared to using benzodiazepines alone [low to very low certainty of evidence]; (2) in adult ED patients (over the age of 18) with AUD who desire alcohol cessation, we suggest a prescription for one anticraving medication [very low certainty of evidence]; (2a) in adult ED patients (over the age of 18) with AUD, we suggest naltrexone (compared to no prescription) to prevent return to heavy drinking [low certainty of evidence]; (2b) in adult ED patients (over the age of 18) with AUD and contraindications to naltrexone, we suggest acamprosate (compared to no prescription) to prevent return to heavy drinking and/or to reduce heavy drinking [low certainty of evidence]; (2c) in adult ED patients (over the age of 18) with AUD, we suggest gabapentin (compared to no prescription) for the management of AUD to reduce heavy drinking days and improve alcohol withdrawal symptoms [very low certainty of evidence]; (3a) in adult ED patients (over the age of 18) presenting to the ED with CHS we suggest the use of haloperidol or droperidol (in addition to usual care/serotonin antagonists, e.g., ondansetron) to help with symptom management [very low certainty of evidence]; and (3b) in adult ED patients (over the age of 18) presenting to the ED with CHS, we also suggest offering the use of topical capsaicin (in addition to usual care/serotonin antagonists, e.g., ondansetron) to help with symptom management [very low certainty of evidence].

Liver cirrhosis in a patient with alcohol dependence and autoimmune hepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Liver cirrhosis is the end-stage entity for a wide variety of chronic liver pathologies. These include viral hepatitis B and C, alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hemochromatosis, Wilson disease, autoimmune hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and primary biliary cirrhosis. In the majority of cases, liver cirrhosis remains completely asymptomatic until acute decompensation occurs. Patients may present complications of portal hypertension such as gastro-esophageal varices and upper digestive hemorrhage, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, or hepato-renal syndrome. Establishing the right etiology of cirrhosis is of paramount importance as it helps the treating physician plan the best suitable treatment options and also improves overall outcome. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a chronic alcohol consumer, which, over time, resulted in alcoholic cirrhosis. Initial diagnosis comprised of alcoholic liver disease. However, a further look into the medical history of the patients indicated the presence of underlying autoimmune liver disease, such as autoimmune hepatitis, which might have also contributed to the chronic liver injury. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple factors can lead to liver cirrhosis. Although the most commonly found entity is alcoholism, it cannot be taken as a thumb rule for the only possible etiology. In-depth analysis and proper differential diagnosis should be carefully conducted in order not to miss out on other possible causes. As seen in our case, where an underlying autoimmune hepatitis was found to be the culprit, but due to a long history of alcohol consumption, it was masked at first instance.

Alcohol-related peripheral neuropathy: Clinico-neurophysiological characteristics and diagnostic utility of the neuropathy symptoms score and the neuropathy impairment score.

Alcohol overconsumption is well known to cause damage to the peripheral nervous system, affecting both small and large nerve fibers. The aim of this descriptive study was to investigate peripheral nerve damage, and to correlate clinical, epidemiological and neurophysiological findings, in patients diagnosed with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Ninety alcohol-dependent subjects on inpatient basis were enrolled in this prospective study over a 3-year period. Every subject was assessed by the Neuropathy Symptoms Score (NSS) questionnaire and the Neuropathy Impairment Score (NIS) clinical examination grading scale, followed by Nerve Conduction Studies, Quantitative Sensory Testing and Sympathetic Skin Response (SSR) testing. Peripheral neuropathy was diagnosed in 54 subjects (60%), by abnormal neurophysiological tests and presence of clinical signs or symptoms. Among them, pure large fiber neuropathy (LFN) was found in 18 subjects, pure small fiber neuropathy (SFN) in 12 subjects, and both large and small fiber neuropathy was diagnosed in 24 subjects. Using linear regression, we found that higher NSS and NIS scores correlated with lower amplitudes of the sural sensory nerve action potential and of the SSR. We also found a significant longer duration of alcohol abuse in subjects with neuropathy, using Student's t-test (p = 0.024). Additionally, applying NIS abnormal cut-off score ≥4, using ROC analysis, we predicted the majority of subjects with LFN, confirming 95.23% sensitivity and 93.75% specificity. Our study confirmed that peripheral neuropathy involving large and small nerve fibers, with a symmetrical length-dependent pattern, is common between patients with AUD and related to the duration of the disorder. We suggest that NSS and NIS scales could be used for the assessment of neuropathy in clinical practice, when the essential neurophysiological testing is not available.

Reductions in World Health Organization risk drinking level are associated with improvements in sleep problems among individuals with alcohol use disorder.

AIMS: Among individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD), sleep disturbances are pervasive and contribute to the etiology and maintenance of AUD. However, despite increased attention toward the relationship between alcohol use and sleep, limited empirical research has systematically examined whether reductions in drinking during treatment for AUD are associated with improvements in sleep problems. METHODS: We used data from a multisite, randomized, controlled trial that compared 6 months of treatment with gabapentin enacarbil extended-release with placebo for adults with moderate-to-severe AUD (N = 346). The Timeline Follow-back was used to assess WHO risk drinking level reductions and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep quality over the prior month at baseline and the end of treatment. RESULTS: Sleep problem scores in the active medication and placebo groups improved equally. Fewer sleep problems were noted among individuals who achieved at least a 1-level reduction (B = -0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-1.77, -0.20], P = .014) or at least a 2-level reduction (B = -0.80, 95% CI [-1.47, -0.14], P = .018) in WHO risk drinking levels at the end of treatment. Reductions in drinking, with abstainers excluded from the analysis, also predicted fewer sleep problems at the end of treatment (1-level: B = -1.01, 95% CI [-1.83, -0.20], P = .015; 2-level: B = -0.90, 95% CI [-1.59, -0.22], P = .010). CONCLUSIONS: Drinking reductions, including those short of abstinence, are associated with improvements in sleep problems during treatment for AUD. Additional assessment of the causal relationships between harm-reduction approaches to AUD and improvements in sleep is warranted.

Comorbid physical health burden of serious mental health disorders in 32 European countries.

BACKGROUND: Mental health disorders (MHDs) are associated with physical health disparities, but underlying excess risk and health burden have not yet been comprehensively assessed. OBJECTIVE: To assess the burden of comorbid physical health conditions (PHCs) across serious MHDs in Europe. METHODS: We estimated the relative prevalence risk of PHCs associated with alcohol use disorders (AUD), bipolar disorder (BD), depressive disorders (DD) and schizophrenia (SZ) across working-age populations of 32 European countries in 2019 based on a targeted literature review. Excess physical health burden was modelled using population-attributable fractions and country-level prevalence data. FINDINGS: We screened 10 960 studies, of which 41 were deemed eligible, with a total sample size of over 18 million persons. Relative prevalence of PHCs was reported in 54%, 20%, 15%, 5% and 7% of studies, respectively, for SZ, DD, BD, AUD or mixed. Significant relative risk estimates ranged from 1.44 to 3.66 for BD, from 1.43 to 2.21 for DD, from 0.81 to 1.97 for SZ and 3.31 for AUD. Excess physical health burden ranged between 27% and 67% of the total, corresponding to 84 million (AUD), 67 million (BD), 66 million (DD) and 5 million (SZ) PHC diagnoses in Europe. A 1% reduction in excess risk assuming causal inference could result in two million fewer PHCs across investigated MHDs. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first comprehensive study of the physical health burden of serious MHDs in Europe. The methods allow for updates, refinement and extension to other MHDs or geographical areas. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results indicate potential population health benefits achievable through more integrated mental and physical healthcare and prevention approaches.

[Disulfiram encephalopathy: an underrecognized complication of accidental overdose]. / Disulfiramencefalopathie: een mogelijke complicatie bij accidentele overdosering.

In this paper we discuss the case of a 52-year-old man who consulted the emergency department because of confusion. Based on anamnesis, clinical presentation, various technical investigations and recovery after discontinuation of disulfiram, the diagnosis of disulfiram encephalopathy is made. This is a less common but serious complication of a frequently used therapy and underscores the importance of early recognition and careful but also controlled prescription of disulfiram. We describe the pathophysiology behind this complication and reflect on some important numbers.

Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated with Advanced Liver Fibrosis and Impaired Fasting Glucose in Alcohol Use Disorder.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for liver disease, insulin resistance, and beta cell dysfunction. Individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) have many comorbidities, with a heavy burden of liver disease and metabolic complications, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). OBJECTIVE: We aimed to analyze the prevalence and associations of vitamin D deficiency in patients admitted for in-hospital treatment of AUD. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients consecutively admitted for the treatment of AUD between January 2017 and October 2023. Sociodemographic data, substance use characteristics, and blood parameters were available at admission. Vitamin D status was assessed through the serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels using a direct competitive chemiluminescent immunoassay method. Deficiency of vitamin D was defined as a concentration less than 20 ng/mL; impaired fasting glucose (IFG) was defined by fasting blood glucose >100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L), and advanced liver fibrosis by an FIB-4 index >3.25. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-three patients were included (75% male) with a mean age of 49 ± 10 years, mean BMI of 26.4 ± 7.3, mean alcohol consumption of 163 ± 81 g/day, and a mean duration of AUD of 18.1 ± 11.2 years. Mean 25(OH)D, fasting blood glucose, AST, ALT, and platelets were 14.4 ± 10.2 ng/mL, 103.4 ± 40.9 mg/dL, 55.1 ± 75.8 U/L, 44.8 ± 76.6 U/L, and 206.3 ± 84.8 × 109/L, respectively. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 80.6%, and 41.1% of patients had levels less than 10 ng/mL. IFG was present in 32.3% of patients, and 20.5% had FIB-4 values >3.25. In the multivariable analysis, IFG (OR, 2.51; 95% CI: 1.02-6.17, p = 0.04) and advanced liver fibrosis (OR, 4.27; 95% CI: 1.21-15.0, p = 0.02) were the only factors associated with vitamin D deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency was very prevalent in this series of patients with AUD and was associated with impaired fasting glucose and advanced liver fibrosis.

Study on the risk factors of postoperative wound complications in patients with ankle fracture.

Wound complications after surgery for ankle fractures can lead to catastrophic consequences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk factors of postoperative wound complications in patients with ankle fracture and to determine their effects on prognosis. 200 patients with ankle fracture treated in our hospital from October 2021 to December 2023 were analysed retrospectively. The total incidence of postoperative wound complications was 19% (38/200). Type of complications: wound edge necrosis 15 cases (39.47%), dehiscence (reopening of wound) 13 cases (34.21%), delayed healing (>30 days) 10 cases (26.32%); Univariate analysis showed that patients' age, body mass index (BMI), current smoking, alcoholism, diabetes mellitus, injury mechanism, open fracture, wound classification, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score and operation time were all associated with postoperative wound complications. Multivariate Logistic regression model shows: age ≥60 years old OR3.671 (1.875-5.937), BMI OR1.198 (1.143-1.324), current smoking OR2.727 (1.251-5.602), alcoholism OR1.143 (1.034-1.267), complicated with diabetes OR2.763 (1.236-4.852), injury mechanism (high vs. low and medium energy) OR2.437 (1.238-4.786), open fracture OR1.943 (1.8262.139), wound classification (II vs. I) OR4.423 (1.73511.674), ASA score (III-IV vs. I-II) OR1.307 (1.113-2.194) was an independent risk factor for postoperative wound complications in patients with ankle fracture. Further, ROC curves showed that these nine independent influences had high accuracy and validity in predicting postoperative wound complications in patients with ankle fractures. In conclusion, independent risk factors for postoperative complications of ankle fracture were age >60 years, BMI, injury mechanism, open fracture, wound classification (II vs. I), ASA score, current smoking, and alcoholism. The wound classification (II vs. I) has the highest diagnostic value.

Proteomics identifies complement protein signatures in patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis.

Diagnostic challenges continue to impede development of effective therapies for successful management of alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH), creating an unmet need to identify noninvasive biomarkers for AH. In murine models, complement contributes to ethanol-induced liver injury. Therefore, we hypothesized that complement proteins could be rational diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers in AH. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of data derived from human hepatic and serum proteome to identify and characterize complement protein signatures in severe AH (sAH). The quantity of multiple complement proteins was perturbed in liver and serum proteome of patients with sAH. Multiple complement proteins differentiated patients with sAH from those with alcohol cirrhosis (AC) or alcohol use disorder (AUD) and healthy controls (HCs). Serum collectin 11 and C1q binding protein were strongly associated with sAH and exhibited good discriminatory performance among patients with sAH, AC, or AUD and HCs. Furthermore, complement component receptor 1-like protein was negatively associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, lower serum MBL associated serine protease 1 and coagulation factor II independently predicted 90-day mortality. In summary, meta-analysis of proteomic profiles from liver and circulation revealed complement protein signatures of sAH, highlighting a complex perturbation of complement and identifying potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for patients with sAH.

Association between smoking and lack of HIV virological suppression in a cross-sectional study of persons with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in Uganda.

BACKGROUND: Smoking and alcohol use frequently co-occur and are the leading causes of preventable death in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and are common among people living with HIV (PLWH). While alcohol use has been shown to be associated with reduced adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART), which may affect HIV viral suppression, the independent effect of smoking on HIV outcomes in SSA is unknown. We aimed to 1) describe the prevalence of current smoking and correlates of smoking; 2) assess the association of smoking with viral suppression, adjusting for level of alcohol use; 3) explore the relationship between smoking and CD4 cell count <350 cells/mm3, among participants who are virally suppressed. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Drinkers Intervention to Prevent Tuberculosis (DIPT) and the Alcohol Drinkers' Exposure to Preventive Therapy for TB (ADEPTT) studies conducted in Southwest Uganda. The studies enrolled PLWH who were on ART for at least 6 months and co-infected with latent tuberculosis and dominated with participants who had unhealthy alcohol use. Current smoking (prior 3 months) was assessed by self-report. Alcohol use was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C, modified for prior 3 months) and phosphatidylethanol (PEth), an alcohol biomarker. We used logistic regression to estimate the cross-sectional association between smoking and lack of virological suppression (≥40 copies/ml), adjusting for level of alcohol use and other covariates, and to examine the association between smoking and CD4 cell counts among PLWH with viral suppression. RESULTS: Of the 955 participants enrolled from 2017 to 2021 who had viral load (VL) results, 63% were men, median age was 40 years (interquartile range [IQR] 32-47), 63% engaged in high/very high-risk alcohol use (AUDIT-C≥6 or PEth≥200 ng/mL), and 22% reported smoking in the prior 3 months. Among 865 participants (91%) with viral suppression and available CD4 count, 11% had a CD4 cell count <350 cells/mm3. In unadjusted and adjusted analyses, there was no evidence of an association between smoking and lack of virological suppression nor between smoking and CD4 count among those with viral suppression. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of smoking was high among a study sample of PLWH in HIV care with latent TB in Southwest Uganda in which the majority of persons engaged in alcohol use. Although there was no evidence of an association between smoking and lack of virological suppression, the co-occurrence of smoking among PLWH who use alcohol underscores the need for targeted and integrated approaches to reduce their co-existence and improve health.

Treatment of alcohol use disorder in patients with alcohol-associated liver disease: Innovative approaches and a call to action.

Alcohol-associated liver disease is currently the leading cause of liver transplantation and liver deaths both in Europe and the United States. Efficacious treatments exist for alcohol use disorder, but they are seldomly prescribed for patients who need them. Besides, the presence of liver cirrhosis can complicate pharmacological treatment choices. In this review, we discuss established and innovative treatment strategies to treat unhealthy alcohol use in patients with alcohol-associated liver disease. We also describe the experience of our own institutions, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol in Badalona (Spain) and Yale-New Haven Health and Yale Medicine (Connecticut. United States of America).

Examining the relationship between the oral microbiome, alcohol intake and alcohol-comorbid neuropsychological disorders: protocol for a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Heavy alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD) continues to rise as a public health problem and increases the risk for disease. Elevated rates of anxiety, depression, sleep disruption and stress are associated with alcohol use. Symptoms may progress to diagnosed neurophysiological conditions and increase risk for relapse if abstinence is attempted. Research on mechanisms connecting the gastrointestinal microbiome to neuropsychological disorders through the gut-brain axis is well-established. Less is known how the oral microbiome and oral microbial-associated biomarkers may signal to the brain. Therefore, a synthesis of research studying relationships between alcohol intake, alcohol-associated neurophysiological symptoms and the oral microbiome is needed to understand the state of the current science. In this paper, we outline our protocol to collect, evaluate and synthesise research focused on associations between alcohol intake and AUD-related neuropsychological disorders with the oral microbiome. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The search strategy was developed and will be executed in collaboration with a medical research librarian. Studies will be screened by two independent investigators according to the aim of the scoping review, along with the outlined exclusion and inclusion criteria. After screening, data will be extracted and synthesised from the included papers according to predefined demographic, clinical and microbiome methodology metrics. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: A scoping review of primary sources is needed to synthesise the data on relationships between alcohol use, neuropsychological conditions associated with AUD and the oral microbiome. The proposed scoping review is based on the data from publicly available databases and does not require ethical approval. We expect the results of this synthesis will identify gaps in the growing literature and highlight potential mechanisms linking the oral-brain axis to addiction and other associated neuropsychological conditions. The study findings and results will be disseminated through journals and conferences related to psychology, neuroscience, dentistry and the microbiome.

Sleep-Related Predictors of Risk for Alcohol Use and Related Problems in Adolescents and Young Adults.

PURPOSE: Growing evidence supports sleep and circadian rhythms as influencing alcohol use and the course of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Studying sleep/circadian-alcohol associations during adolescence and young adulthood may be valuable for identifying sleep/circadian-related approaches to preventing and/or treating AUD. This paper reviews current evidence for prospective associations between sleep/circadian factors and alcohol involvement during adolescence and young adulthood with an emphasis on the effects of sleep/circadian factors on alcohol use. SEARCH METHODS: The authors conducted a literature search in PsycInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science using the search terms "sleep" and "alcohol" paired with "adolescent" or "adolescence" or "young adult" or "emerging adult," focusing on the title/abstract fields, and restricting to English-language articles. Next, the search was narrowed to articles with a prospective/longitudinal or experimental design, a sleep-related measure as a predictor, an alcohol-related measure as an outcome, and confirming a primarily adolescent and/or young adult sample. This step was completed by a joint review of candidate article abstracts by two of the authors. SEARCH RESULTS: The initial search resulted in 720 articles. After review of the abstracts, the list was narrowed to 27 articles reporting on observational longitudinal studies and three articles reporting on intervention trials. Noted for potential inclusion were 35 additional articles that reported on studies with alcohol-related predictors and sleep-related outcomes, and/or reported on candidate moderators or mediators of sleep-alcohol associations. Additional articles were identified via review of relevant article reference lists and prior exposure based on the authors' previous work in this area. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the review supports a range of sleep/circadian characteristics during adolescence and young adulthood predicting the development of alcohol use and/or alcohol-related problems. Although sleep treatment studies in adolescents and young adults engaging in regular and/or heavy drinking show that sleep can be improved in those individuals, as well as potentially reducing alcohol craving and alcohol-related consequences, no studies in any age group have yet demonstrated that improving sleep reduces drinking behavior. Notable limitations include relatively few longitudinal studies and only two experimental studies, insufficient consideration of different assessment timescales (e.g., day-to-day vs. years), insufficient consideration of the multidimensional nature of sleep, a paucity of objective measures of sleep and circadian rhythms, and insufficient consideration of how demographic variables may influence sleep/circadian-alcohol associations. Examining such moderators, particularly those related to minoritized identities, as well as further investigation of putative mechanistic pathways linking sleep/circadian characteristics to alcohol outcomes, are important next steps.

Molecular mechanisms involved in alcohol craving, IRF3, and endoplasmic reticulum stress: a multi-omics study.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the most prevalent substance use disorder worldwide. Acamprosate and naltrexone are anti-craving drugs used in AUD pharmacotherapy. However, molecular mechanisms underlying their anti-craving effect remain unclear. This study utilized a patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based model system and anti-craving drugs that are used to treat AUD as "molecular probes" to identify possible mechanisms associated with alcohol craving. We examined the pathophysiology of craving and anti-craving drugs by performing functional genomics studies using iPSC-derived astrocytes and next-generation sequencing. Specifically, RNA sequencing performed using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from AUD patients with extreme values for alcohol craving intensity prior to treatment showed that inflammation-related pathways were highly associated with alcohol cravings. We then performed a genome-wide assessment of chromatin accessibility and gene expression profiles of induced iPSC-derived astrocytes in response to ethanol or anti-craving drugs. Those experiments identified drug-dependent epigenomic signatures, with IRF3 as the most significantly enriched motif in chromatin accessible regions. Furthermore, the activation of IRF3 was associated with ethanol-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress which could be attenuated by anti-craving drugs, suggesting that ER stress attenuation might be a target for anti-craving agents. In conclusion, we found that craving intensity was associated with alcohol consumption and treatment outcomes. Our functional genomic studies suggest possible relationships among craving, ER stress, IRF3 and the actions of anti-craving drugs.

The incidence of cancer following hospitalisation for a burn injury in Scotland 2009-2019: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Studies suggest increased occurrence of cancer in persons who have experienced a burn injury with hospital admission. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of cancer among those hospitalised for burn injuries in Scotland compared with a similar group without a history of burn injury hospitalisation. METHOD: A retrospective cohort design was used to compare cancer (ICD10 C00-97, excluding C44) incidence in two groups: 6805 burn injury patients discharged from Scottish hospitals between 2009 and 2019, and 25,946 subjects from the general population who were matched to burn patients by sex, year of birth, and degree of social deprivation. Cancer incidence was identified from the Scottish cancer registry. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to model time to cancer incidence adjusting for age, sex, degree of deprivation and presence of a comorbidity. Cancer risk was presented as standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) and hazard ratios (HR). RESULTS: We found a higher prevalence of pre-existing conditions, particularly alcohol abuse among patients with burns. Pre-existing cancers were more common in the burn cohort (3.5%) than the comparison group (1.7%) and were excluded from further analysis. Over a median follow-up of 4-5 years, a total of 236 (3.5%) burn patients and 969 (3.7%) persons in the comparison group were diagnosed with cancer. At 0-6 months the cancer SIR for burn patients was 1.88 95% CI (1.40-2.52). After excluding the first six months of follow-up, the overall incidence of cancer was marginally elevated in burn patients (SIR 1.04, 95% CI 0.90-1.19, p = 0.62) and not statistically different from the incidence in comparison subjects (adjusted HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.88-1.21, p = 0.71). CONCLUSIONS: Patients that suffer burn injury have a higher incidence of cancer than the general population and a group matched by age, sex and degree of deprivation. A higher incidence of adverse health-related behaviours such as smoking, alcohol use and pre-existing health conditions among many patients that suffer a burn most likely explain this observed increase. Any persisting inflammatory or immune dysfunction following burn injury is unlikely to account for the increase in cancers in this study.

Elevated liver enzymes and fasting glucose levels correlate with neuropathy in patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder independently of the blood thiamine levels.

AIMS: Chronic alcohol consumption is well known to cause peripheral neuropathy, affecting both small and large nerve fibers. The aim of this study was to correlate biochemical and neurophysiological findings and investigate possible biomarkers and risk factors for pathogenetic mechanisms of neuropathy in patients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD). METHODS: Ninety patients diagnosed with AUD were enrolled in this prospective study over a period of 3 years. Serum biochemical parameters, as well as thiamine blood levels, were determined upon admission. Every subject was assessed by clinical neurological examination, followed by Nerve Conduction Studies, Quantitative Sensory Testing, and Sympathetic Skin Response. Fifty age and gender-matched patients without a diagnosis of AUD were used as the control group. RESULTS: Peripheral neuropathy was diagnosed in 54 patients (60%). Among them, pure large fiber neuropathy was found in 18 patients, pure small fiber neuropathy in 12 patients, and both large and small fiber neuropathy was diagnosed in 24 patients. Elevated liver enzymes and fasting glucose levels upon admission were significantly correlated with neuropathy. Lower blood thiamine levels (than reference) were found in seven patients and were not correlated with neuropathy. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that alcohol-related liver dysfunction and hyperglycemia may contribute as risk factors of peripheral neuropathy in patients diagnosed with AUD, while blood thiamine levels do not correlate with neuropathy. Moreover, we suggest that liver enzymes and the De Ritis ratio could be potentially used as biomarkers for the incidence and severity of alcohol-related neuropathy.

Hemochromatosis: Ferroptosis, ROS, Gut Microbiome, and Clinical Challenges with Alcohol as Confounding Variable.

Hemochromatosis represents clinically one of the most important genetic storage diseases of the liver caused by iron overload, which is to be differentiated from hepatic iron overload due to excessive iron release from erythrocytes in patients with genetic hemolytic disorders. This disorder is under recent mechanistic discussion regarding ferroptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS), the gut microbiome, and alcohol abuse as a risk factor, which are all topics of this review article. Triggered by released intracellular free iron from ferritin via the autophagic process of ferritinophagy, ferroptosis is involved in hemochromatosis as a specific form of iron-dependent regulated cell death. This develops in the course of mitochondrial injury associated with additional iron accumulation, followed by excessive production of ROS and lipid peroxidation. A low fecal iron content during therapeutic iron depletion reduces colonic inflammation and oxidative stress. In clinical terms, iron is an essential trace element required for human health. Humans cannot synthesize iron and must take it up from iron-containing foods and beverages. Under physiological conditions, healthy individuals allow for iron homeostasis by restricting the extent of intestinal iron depending on realistic demand, avoiding uptake of iron in excess. For this condition, the human body has no chance to adequately compensate through removal. In patients with hemochromatosis, the molecular finetuning of intestinal iron uptake is set off due to mutations in the high-FE2+ (HFE) genes that lead to a lack of hepcidin or resistance on the part of ferroportin to hepcidin binding. This is the major mechanism for the increased iron stores in the body. Hepcidin is a liver-derived peptide, which impairs the release of iron from enterocytes and macrophages by interacting with ferroportin. As a result, iron accumulates in various organs including the liver, which is severely injured and causes the clinically important hemochromatosis. This diagnosis is difficult to establish due to uncharacteristic features. Among these are asthenia, joint pain, arthritis, chondrocalcinosis, diabetes mellitus, hypopituitarism, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and cardiopathy. Diagnosis is initially suspected by increased serum levels of ferritin, a non-specific parameter also elevated in inflammatory diseases that must be excluded to be on the safer diagnostic side. Diagnosis is facilitated if ferritin is combined with elevated fasting transferrin saturation, genetic testing, and family screening. Various diagnostic attempts were published as algorithms. However, none of these were based on evidence or quantitative results derived from scored key features as opposed to other known complex diseases. Among these are autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) or drug-induced liver injury (DILI). For both diseases, the scored diagnostic algorithms are used in line with artificial intelligence (AI) principles to ascertain the diagnosis. The first-line therapy of hemochromatosis involves regular and life-long phlebotomy to remove iron from the blood, which improves the prognosis and may prevent the development of end-stage liver disease such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liver transplantation is rarely performed, confined to acute liver failure. In conclusion, ferroptosis, ROS, the gut microbiome, and concomitant alcohol abuse play a major contributing role in the development and clinical course of genetic hemochromatosis, which requires early diagnosis and therapy initiation through phlebotomy as a first-line treatment.

Review article: Current indications and selection criteria for early liver transplantation in severe alcohol-associated hepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is a severe inflammatory form of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) that carries a high mortality rate. Early liver transplantation for severe AH is increasingly available. However, specific criteria for referral and selection remain a subject of debate. AIMS: To provide a narrative review of the natural history, diagnostic criteria and indications for referral for early liver transplantation for severe AH. METHODS: We searched PubMed for articles published through August 2023. Key search terms were 'alcoholic hepatitis,' 'alcohol-associated hepatitis,' 'abstinence,' 'alcohol relapse,' and 'liver transplantation.' RESULTS: Previously, a six-month period of alcohol abstinence was required before patients with ALD were considered for liver transplantation. However, studies in recent years have demonstrated that, among carefully selected patients, patients who received early transplants have much higher survival rates than patients with similarly severe disease who did not undergo transplants (77% vs. 23%). Despite these successes, early liver transplantation remains controversial, as these patients have typically not undergone treatment for alcohol use disorder, with the ensuing risk of returning to alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS: While early liver transplantation for AH has survival benefits, many patients would not have received treatment for alcohol use disorder. An integrated approach to evaluating candidacy for early liver transplantation is needed.