Assessment of early return to drinking in surviving patients with alcohol‐associated hepatitis
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Recurrent alcohol use is a major determinant of liver-related outcomes in patients recovering from alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH). However, the timing and predictors of return to drinking (RTD) are not well-studied. METHODS: We analyzed alcohol use among patients with AH enrolled in two AlcHepNet multicenter studies: a Phase 2b randomized controlled trial and a prospective observational study. TimeLine FollowBack (TLFB) assessed drinking at each visit. RTD was defined as any alcohol use since the previous visit. The cumulative incidence of RTD was evaluated using the Fine-Gray method, with death as a competing risk. Factors associated with RTD were evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox regression. RESULTS: Among 518 patients alive at Day 28, RTD occurred in 7.7%, 21.7%, and 30.8% at 30, 90, and 180 days, respectively. Patients with moderate AH (mAH, MELD 11-19, n = 103) had a higher RTD incidence at 180 days than those with severe AH (sAH, MELD ≥20, n = 415) (44.3% vs. 27.5%; p = 0.01). RTD was associated with higher AUDIT scores, family history of alcohol use disorder (AUD), lower education, greater alcohol use at baseline, lower MELD scores, and less ascites (all p ≤ 0.01). In multivariable analysis, >20 drinking days in the prior month was associated with increased risk of RTD (HR: 3.46, 95% CI: 2.21-5.39), whereas college education or higher was protective (HR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.32-0.88). CONCLUSION: RTD occurred in 22% of AH patients within 90 days postrecovery, highlighting the need for early AUD interventions. Frequent drinking days at baseline and lower education were strongly linked to early RTD.
DOI: 10.1111/acer.70263
Authors: Thomas G. Cotter, Mack C. Mitchell, Wanzhu Tu, Qing Tang, Yunpeng Yu, Samer Gawrieh, Craig J. McClain, Ramon Bataller, Naga Chalasani, Vijay H. Shah, Arun J. Sanyal, Gyongyi Szabo, Srinivasan Dasarathy
Institutions: The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Indiana University Indianapolis, University of Louisville, Louisville VA Medical Center, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Mayo Clinic, Virginia Commonwealth University, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard University, Cleveland Clinic
Language: English
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,110
Awards: G1076559538, G5233815857, G5320258344, G6508707689, G6688357846, G669862514, G7458011169, G74905932, Alcoholic Hepatitis Clinical and Translational Network Late Phase Clinical Trials and Observational Studies 7/9, Integrated therapies for alcohol use and ALD (ITAALD) Network – UTSW Clinical Center, Integrated therapies for alcohol use and ALD (ITAALD) Network -UofL Clinical Center
OpenAlex ID: W7150936047