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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Predictors and effects of alcohol use on liver function among young HCV-infected injection drug users in a behavioral intervention
Journal of Hepatology, Volume 55, No. 1, Year 2011
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Description
Background & Aims: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening can provide opportunities to reduce disease progression through counseling against alcohol use, but empirical data on this issue are sparse. We determined the efficacy of a behavioral intervention in reducing alcohol use among young, HCV-infected injection drug users (IDUs) (n = 355) and assessed whether changes in liver enzymes were associated with changes in alcohol consumption. Methods: Both the intervention and attention-control groups were counseled to avoid alcohol use, but the intervention group received enhanced counseling. Logistic regression, ANOVA, and continuous time Markov models were used to identify factors associated with alcohol use, changes in mean ALT and AST levels, and change in alcohol use post-intervention. Results: Six months post-intervention, alcohol abstinence increased 22.7% in both groups, with no difference by intervention arm. Transition from alcohol use to abstinence was associated with a decrease in liver enzymes, with a marginally greater decrease in the intervention group (p = 0.05 for ALT; p = 0.06 for AST). In multivariate Markov models, those who used marijuana transitioned from alcohol abstinence to consumption more rapidly than non-users (RR = 3.11); those who were homeless transitioned more slowly to alcohol abstinence (RR = 0.47); and those who had ever received a clinical diagnosis of liver disease transitioned more rapidly to abstinence (RR = 1.88). Conclusions: Although, behavioral counseling to reduce alcohol consumption among HCV-infected IDUs had a modest effect, reductions in alcohol consumption were associated with marked improvements in liver function. Interventions to reduce alcohol use among HCV-infected IDUs may benefit from being integrated into clinical care and monitoring of HCV infection. © 2010 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
Drumright, Lydia N.
United States, La Jolla
University of California, San Diego
United Kingdom, London
Imperial College London
Hagan, Holly C.
United States, New York
National Development and Research Institutes, Inc.
Thomas, David L.
United States, Baltimore
Johns Hopkins University
Latka, Mary H.
United States, New York
New York Academy of Medicine
South Africa, Johannesburg
The Aurum Institute
Golub, Elizabeth Topper
United States, Baltimore
Johns Hopkins University
Garfein, Richard S.
United States, La Jolla
University of California, San Diego
Clapp, John D.
United States, San Diego
San Diego State University
Campbell, Jennifer V.
United States, Seattle
Seattle King County Department of Public Health
Bonner, Sebastian
United States, New York
New York Academy of Medicine
Kapadia, Farzana
United States, New York
New York Academy of Medicine
United States, New York
New York University
Thiel, Thelma King
United States, Silver Spring
Hepatitis Foundation International
Strathdee, Steffanie Anne
United States, La Jolla
University of California, San Diego
Statistics
Citations: 42
Authors: 12
Affiliations: 10
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.jhep.2010.10.028
ISSN:
01688278
e-ISSN:
01688278
Research Areas
Infectious Diseases
Substance Abuse
Study Design
Randomised Control Trial