Clinical features of patients with chronic liver disease in Japan related to alcohol use: Nationwide examination using alcohol use disorders identification test

• Published in: Hepatology research 2023-01, Vol.53 (1), p.43-50
• Main Authors: Hiraoka, Atsushi, Nakai, Masato, Hara, Nagisa, Hanai, Tatsunori, Namisaki, Tadashi, Miyaaki, Hisamitsu, Nakahara, Takashi, Hiramatsu, Akira, Ohama, Hideko, Tada, Fujimasa, Takahashi, Hirokazu, Aikata, Hiroshi, Eguchi, Yuichiro, Hiasa, Yoichi, Yoshiji, Hitoshi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alcohol; Alcohol use; alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT); chronic liver injury; Drug dependence; harm reduction; Hepatitis; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis C; Liver diseases; nalmefene; Viruses
• ISSN: 1386-6346; 1872-034X
• DOI: 10.1111/hepr.13835

Aim Patients often do not respond truthfully to physicians' interviews concerning alcohol. Few reports regarding the level of alcohol dependence in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) have been presented. This study aimed to elucidate severity distribution in patients with CLD using the alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT). Methods From March to June 2022, 2034 Japanese outpatients with CLD, including 415 cases associated with hepatitis C virus, 436 with hepatitis B virus, 173 with alcohol‐related liver disease (ARLD), and 1010 with other factors, were interviewed using AUDIT. Clinical features related to alcohol use in these patients were then retrospectively evaluated. Results In all patients, an AUDIT score 8–14 (harmful use) was noted in 5.8% of hepatitis C virus, 8.9% of hepatitis B virus, 24.3% of ARLD, and 4.4% of other groups, respectively (P