Pharmacopsychiatry 2005; 38 - A256
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-918878

Alcohol consumption patterns amongst hepatitis C positive people receiving opioid maintenance treatment

FM Wurst 1, B Watson 2, PS Haber 3, J Whitfield 4, C Wallace 5, J Lauer 6, W Weinmann 7, K Conigrave 8
  • 1Psychiatrische Universitätsklinik Basel
  • 21st Drug Health Service, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3rd School of Public Health, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • 31st Drug Health Service, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3rd School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Australia
  • 4Department of Biochemistry, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • 51st Drug Health Service, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3rd School of Public Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
  • 6Institute of Forensic Medicine, University Hospital, Freiburg
  • 7Institute of Forensic Medicine, University Hospital, Freiburg, Germany
  • 81st Drug Health Service, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3rd School of Public Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia

Aims: Heavy alcohol consumption may accelerate the progression of Hepatitis C (HCV) related liver disease and/or limit efforts at anti-viral treatment. This study was conducted to identify the alcohol consumption amongst people receiving opioid maintenance therapy at an inner city hospital clinic, together with their self-reported HCV status.

Methods: On-site dosing clients were invited to complete the brief Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C) with reference to the last six months. Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and Ethyl sulfate (EtS) were determined in serum and urine (UEtG, UEtS, SEtG).

Results: The response rate was 79%. Overall 50% (n=46) of participants were drinking at risk levels. Of the clients who reported as HCV positive, 50% of women and 55% of men consumed alcohol in excess of the stricter limits. For the 26 HCV+ patients, where urine and serum samples were drawn the following results were found (mean, SD, range) for UEtG (19 positives) 3.8, 9.3, 0–34.8mg/L; UEtS (9 positives) 0.5, 1.3, 0–5.3mg/L and SEtG (4 positives) 0.016, 0.039, 0.0.14. Among the 19 UEtS positives, 8 had not reported any ethanol intake in the five days prior to the study.

Conclusion: These results suggest that binge drinking is a significant cause of acute risk in this population. The prevalence of regular hazardous drinking in this group is lower than reported in similar populations overseas and few drink without risk.