Top ten research priorities for alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related liver disease: results of a multistakeholder research priority setting partnership

Subhani, Mohsan; Dhanda, Ashwin; Olaru, Adina; Dunford, Louise; Ahmad, Nahid; Wragg, Andrew; Frost, Kate; Greenwood, Justin; King, Melinda; Jones, Katy A; Rosenberg, William; Sinclair, Julia; Rennick-Egglestone, Stefan; Morling, Joanne R; Patel, Krishna; Ryder, Stephen D

Abstract

Alcohol is a preventable leading cause of liver disease and over 200 other acute or chronic medical conditions. 1 In the UK, 25% of the population drinks at an increasing risk level (ie, 15–34 units per week for women and 15–49 units per week for men) and 10% at a higher risk level (≥35 units per week for women and ≥50 units per week for men). 2 , 3 The UK has observed a 400% rise in mortality due to liver disease in the last three decades; it is now the third most common cause of premature death. 1 In 2020, the UK recorded 8974 deaths from an alcohol-specific cause, an 18·6% increase compared with 2019. The 2020 death rate due to wholly alcohol-attributable conditions reached 14·0 deaths per 100 000, the highest since 2001. 3 In the same year, Dame Carol Black's independent review of drugs, treatment, and recovery, emphasised the need for an increased focus on prevention. 4 Alcohol-related disorders are among the most common reasons for admission to hospital; in 2019–20, 5·7% of all hospital admissions in England were alcohol related. The estimated cost to the UK National Health Service (NHS) to treat alcohol-related problems is over £3·5 billion annually, with an estimated overall cost to society of £21 billion per year.

• Journal Article Type: Note
• Acceptance Date: Jan 22, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Feb 5, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-02
• Deposit Date: Mar 15, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 6, 2024
• Journal: The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology
• Electronic ISSN: 2468-1253
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-1253%2824%2900009-8
• Keywords: Gastroenterology; Hepatology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/31880367
• Publisher URL: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langas/article/PIIS2468-1253(24)00009-8/abstract