People with alcohol use disorder (AUD) who are at risk of advanced liver disease are less likely to be referred for liver evaluation and care if they present primarily with alcohol-related mental health issues or a mental health diagnosis, according to a study of referral practices in Virginia's largest health system. The findings point to the possibility of widespread missed opportunities for treating three conditions that commonly co-occur: AUD, mental health disorders, and liver disease . Recent years have seen notable increases in the U.
S. in alcohol-related deaths, mental health disorders, and hospital admissions relating to alcohol use and concurrent mental health conditions. AUD is a significant cause of liver disease, and both addiction and co-occurring mental illness can be barriers to successful liver treatment.
Integrating AUD treatment, mental health care , and hepatology (liver care) is necessary to improve outcomes, but data suggests this approach is not the norm. For the study published in Alcohol: Clinical & Experimental Research , investigators evaluated which patients with excessive alcohol use and potentially advanced liver disease were referred to hepatology for evaluation and treatment. Researchers worked with data representing 316 patients experiencing excessive alcohol use who were treated between 2013 and 2023.
All the patients in the study had results from FIB-4—a blood test included in routine lab work—correlating to a high risk of advanced liver.