Alcohol and alcoholism : international journal of the Medical Council on Alcoholism
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This paper describes changes in alcohol consumption among Swedish youth over the past decade with the aim of exploring the polarization hypothesis, which asserts that while a majority of young drinkers have reduced their alcohol consumption, a subgroup have increased their drinking substantially, resulting in greater harm. ⋯ Polarized drinking habits are a likely explanation for the recent divergence between per capita alcohol consumption, which has decreased, and alcohol-related hospitalizations, which have increased sharply among Swedish youth in recent years. We suggest that ongoing social changes could be affecting young people in the form of greater disparities, which are associated with a higher incidence of social problems generally, including heavy drinking.
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Comparative Study
DRD2 C957T and TaqIA genotyping reveals gender effects and unique low-risk and high-risk genotypes in alcohol dependence.
As recent conflicting reports describe a genetic association between both the C- and the T-alleles of the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) C957T polymorphism (rs6277) in alcohol-dependent subjects, our aim was to examine this polymorphism and TaqIA (rs1800497) in Australian alcohol-dependent subjects. ⋯ Decreased DRD2 binding associated with the C-allele of the DRD2 C957T polymorphism is likely to be important in the underlying pathophysiology of at least some forms of alcohol dependence, and this effect appears to be limited to males only.
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The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiology, management and cost of emergency department (ED) visits due to alcohol intoxication. ⋯ Alcohol intoxication leads to a financial burden on the community. In addition to imposing physical, social and psychological stress on the community, the often agitated or aggressive patient imposes stress on ED staff. Close surveillance of trends in alcohol abuse is warranted, and the ED should consider implementing a questionnaire method of screening for alcohol abuse.
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Consumption of alcohol mixed with caffeinated energy drinks is becoming popular, and the number of pre-mixed caffeinated alcohol products on the worldwide market is increasing. There is public health concern and even occasional legal restriction relating to these drinks, due to associations with increased intoxication and harms. ⋯ While legislation in some countries has restricted production or marketing of pre-mixed products, many individuals mix their own energy drink-alcohol 'cocktails'. Wider dissemination of the risks might help balance marketing strategies that over-emphasize putative positive effects.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy and safety of pregabalin in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
The objective of this study was to collect preliminary data on the efficacy and safety of pregabalin in attenuating the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms during detoxification treatment in alcohol dependence. ⋯ The study demonstrates the relative safety of pregabalin in the treatment of AWS. However, the results do not provide evidence in favor of pregabalin compared with placebo concerning its efficacy in the treatment of AWS.