Citation

Abdul Ghani AM, Faiz E, Nielsen A, Bilberg R. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2019; 197: 120-126.

Affiliation

The Institute of Clinical Research, Unit of Clinical Alcohol Research, University of Southern Denmark, JB Winsløwsvej 20, Entrance 220 B, DK-5230, Odense M, Denmark.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.11.032

PMID

30818132

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) have a significantly shorter lifespan than the general population, there is sparse evidence on cause of death when alcohol dependent people die prematurely. Especially the somatic causes of death are shed less light on.

AIM: To determine the cause of premature death in individuals with AUD based on recent studies.

METHODS: This systematic review summarizes evidence from the last 10 years with cohort studies consisting of AUD patients with the subsequent outcome of cause of death and with at least two years of follow-up.

RESULTS: Nine studies were included of which only two were assessed to be of good quality. Furthermore, two studies were of moderately good and acceptable quality, respectively. This review found increased mortality in AUD individuals with the main causes of death being malignancy, and problems of the cardiovascular- and the digestive system.

CONCLUSION: Malignancy was the most common cause of death in the included AUD cohorts, but the overall quality of the included studies in this review is low. There is a need for high-quality studies to better understand cause-specific mortality among AUD individuals.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Alcohol dependence; Alcohol use disorders; Cause of death; Malignancy; Mortality; Somatic