An observational cohort study of alcohol use and cognitive difficulties among post-9/11 veterans with and without TBI and PTSD.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and alcohol use are highly prevalent among military Veterans and independently associated with cognitive difficulties; less is known about the combined effects. This study aimed to investigate the association between alcohol use patterns and cognitive diagnoses in Veterans with TBI and/or PTSD. METHODS: Using electronic health record data,193,663 Veterans were classified into three alcohol use trajectory groups (consistently low, initially high transitioning to low, initially moderate transitioning to high) based on self-reported Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C (AUDIT-C) scores. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between alcohol use patterns, TBI, PTSD, and the risk of cognitive diagnosis, while adjusting for demographic factors and comorbidities. RESULTS: Veterans with initially high transitioning to low (HR = 1.21, 95 % CI 1.11-1.31) and initially moderate transitioning to high (HR = 1.42, 95 % CI 1.33-1.51) alcohol use patterns had a significantly greater risk of cognitive diagnosis compared to those with consistently low alcohol use when accounting for TBI, PTSD, and comorbidities. TBI (HR = 5.40, 95 % CI 5.06-5.76) and PTSD (HR = 2.42, 95 % CI 2.25-2.61) were also independently associated with an elevated risk of cognitive diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that Higher levels of alcohol consumption, even if decreasing over time, may confer an increased risk of cognitive diagnosis for Veterans with TBI and/or PTSD. Long-term alcohol use patterns should be considered in clinical assessments and interventions to identify individuals at greater risk for experiencing cognitive difficulties.