Patients who receive a liver transplant because of cirrhosis need to prove periods of abstinence and often attend addiction treatment before transplantation. A new study revealed that people at the highest risk to drink alcohol after their transplant can be identified potentially preventing a relapse.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center collected data on alcohol use after liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease in 208 patients. These patients had transplants between May 1998 and August 2004. Alcohol relapse rates after liver transplantation are low, especially when compared to the general population. Of the 208 patients, 54 percent had no reported alcohol use after surgery.
Among the other patients who did drink alcohol again, certain patterns became evident. Two patterns show early onset of alcohol use, one moderate and one accelerating to heavy use. For some patients, resuming alcohol use happens soon after their transplant and can easily spiral out of control. For others, moderate to heavy alcohol use can begin years after surgery. This highlights the need for clinical monitoring for alcohol use beyond the first couple of years after the liver transplant.
The length of sobriety before transplant surgery is the most powerful predictor of using alcohol again. Stresses immediately after surgery would also increase the likelihood of using alcohol again. Patients more likely to drink were more stressed, in worse health, and had more pain and less energy.
"Our findings will aid clinicians in early monitoring and identification of patients at risk for alcohol use," said lead research Andrea DiMartini, M.D. "With improved methods to identify those at high risk, and effective treatments for alcohol use disorders, we can keep the relapse rates low and get patients into proper treatment before they injure their health."
