Reduction in non-abstinent WHO drinking risk levels and change in risk for liver disease and positive AUDIT-C scores: Prospective 3-year follow-up results in the US general population

摘要

BackgroundAbstinence is often the treatment aim for AUD, but this may deter individuals who prefer drinking-reduction goals from entering treatment, and be an overly restrictive endpoint in alcohol clinical trials. Non-abstinent drinking reductions that predict improvement in how individuals feel or function may be useful clinical trial outcomes, e.g., reductions in the 4-category World Health Organization (WHO) drinking risk levels. To investigate the clinical relevance of these reductions, we examined their relationship to two outcomes of interest to medical providers: liver disease, and positive scores on an alcohol screening measure.