Efficacy of a Brief Alcohol Intervention for Non Dependant Alcohol-misusing Patients Undergoing a Scheduled Surgery (ITBCHIR)

Excessive alcohol consumption is a worldwide major public health problem. Persons who drink more than 2-3 drinks per day are at risk for numerous medical, psychological and social problems. Brief interventions have shown to be an efficient treatment modality for problem drinkers in settings such as primary care, emergencies or psychiatric hospitals by numerous randomized studies. Brief intervention consists typically in a brief assessment, giving patients personal feedback, dealing with resistance and ambivalence, establishing a goal of reduced alcohol use, and giving a workbook; reinforcement visits or calls are included. Brief interventions seem to be particularly effective in patients with alcohol problem without dependence.

Screening for alcohol problem is best done using standardized questionnaires, as the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), developed by WHO and translated in many languages. The AUDIT allows distinguishing between normal alcohol use, harmful or at risk use and dependence and is easy to use.

No study on brief intervention has been conducted in scheduled surgery. This seems to be a promising situation, since there is first a visit with the anaesthetist, during which screening for alcohol problem should occur, then a hospitalisation, during which the intervention could be made. It is possible that patients are more concerned by their health when they come to hospital for a surgery.

The aim of this controlled, randomized study is to test the hypothesis that a brief intervention, consisting in a visit with a trained nurse, followed by a telephone call three months later, in patients with at risk or harmful alcohol use, undergoing a scheduled surgery, could be efficient to promote the decrease of alcohol consumption.

Patients will be screened during the visit with the anaesthetist with AUDIT. Patients with AUDIT between 7 and 12 will be proposed to enter the study, and randomised between Brief Intervention and no intervention. A research technician will interview patients 12 months after the surgery, with assessment of the AUDIT and alcohol consumption. CDT and GGT will be measured prior to surgery, then at 12 months after surgery.