| 1. |
- Bradley, KA, et al.
(author)
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Alcohol Screening and Risk of Postoperative Complications on Male VA Patients Undergoing Major Non-cardiac Surgery
- 2011
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In: Journal of General Internal Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0884-8734 .- 1525-1497. ; 26:2, s. 162-169
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Patients who misuse alcohol are at increased risk for surgical complications. Four weeks of preoperative abstinence decreases the risk of complications, but practical approaches for early preoperative identification of alcohol misuse are needed. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether results of alcohol screening with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C) questionnaire—up to a year before surgery—were associated with the risk of postoperative complications. DESIGN: This is a cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Male Veterans Affairs (VA) patients were eligible if they had major noncardiac surgery assessed by the VA’s Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) in fiscal years 2004-2006, and completed the AUDIT-C alcohol screening questionnaire (0-12 points) on a mailed survey within 1 year before surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: One or more postoperative complication(s) within 30 days of surgery based on VASQIP nurse medical record reviews. RESULTS Among 9,176 eligible men, 16.3% screened positive for alcohol misuse with AUDIT-C scores ≥ 5, and 7.8% had postoperative complications. Patients with AUDIT-C scores ≥ 5 were at significantly increased risk for postoperative complications, compared to patients who drank less. In analyses adjusted for age, smoking, and days from screening to surgery, the estimated prevalence of postoperative complications increased from 5.6% (95% CI 4.8–6.6%) in patients with AUDIT-C scores 1–4, to 7.9% (6.3–9.7%) in patients with AUDIT-Cs 5–8, 9.7% (6.6–14.1%) in patients with AUDIT-Cs 9–10 and 14.0% (8.9–21.3%) in patients with AUDIT-Cs 11–12. In fully-adjusted analyses that included preoperative covariates potentially in the causal pathway between alcohol misuse and complications, the estimated prevalence of postoperative complications increased significantly from 4.8% (4.1–5.7%) in patients with AUDIT-C scores 1–4, to 6.9% (5.5–8.7%) in patients with AUDIT-Cs 5-8 and 7.5% (5.0–11.3%) among those with AUDIT-Cs 9–10. CONCLUSIONS: AUDIT-C scores of 5 or more up to a year before surgery were associated with increased postoperative complications.
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| 2. |
- Rubinsky, AD, et al.
(author)
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AUDIT-C Alcohol Screening Results and Postoperative Inpatient Health Care Use.
- 2012
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In: Journal of the American College of Surgeons. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 1879-1190 .- 1072-7515. ; 214:3, s. 296-305
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Alcohol screening scores 5 on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption (AUDIT-C) up to a year before surgery have been associated with postoperative complications, but the association with postoperative health care use is unknown. This study evaluated whether AUDIT-C scores in the year before surgery were associated with postoperative hospital length of stay, total ICU days, return to the operating room, and hospital readmission. STUDY DESIGN: This cohort study included male Veterans Affairs patients who completed the AUDIT-C on mailed surveys (October 2003 through September 2006) and were hospitalized for nonemergent noncardiac major operations in the following year. Postoperative health care use was evaluated across 4 AUDIT-C risk groups (scores 0, 1 to 4, 5 to 8, and 9 to 12) using linear or logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographics, smoking status, surgical category, relative value unit, and time from AUDIT-C to surgery. Patients with AUDIT-C scores indicating low-risk drinking (scores 1 to 4) were the referent group. RESULTS: Adjusted analyses revealed that among eligible surgical patients (n 5,171), those with the highest AUDIT-C scores (ie, 9 to 12) had longer postoperative hospital length of stay (5.8 [95% CI, 5.06.7] vs 5.0 [95% CI, 4.75.3] days), more ICU days (4.5 [95% CI, 3.25.8] vs 2.8 [95% CI, 2.63.1] days), and increased probability of return to the operating room (10% [95% CI, 613%] vs 5% [95% CI, 46%]) in the 30 days after surgery, but not increased hospital readmission within 30 days postdischarge, relative to the low-risk group. CONCLUSIONS: AUDIT-C screening results could be used to identify patients at risk for increased postoperative health care use who might benefit from preoperative alcohol interventions.
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