Alcohol Consumption Increases Post-Operative Infection but Not Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

TY - JOUR

T1 - Alcohol Consumption Increases Post-Operative Infection but Not Mortality

T2 - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

AU - Shabanzadeh, Daniel Mønsted

AU - Sørensen, Lars Tue

PY - 2015/12/1

Y1 - 2015/12/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption causes multiple comorbidities with potentially negative outcome after operations. The aims are to study the association between alcohol consumption and post-operative non-surgical site infections and mortality and to determine the impact of peri-operative interventions.METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched systematically. Observational studies reporting patients with a defined amount of alcohol consumption and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed at reducing outcomes were included. Meta-analyses were performed separately for observational studies and RCTs.RESULTS: Thirteen observational studies and five RCTs were identified. Meta-analyses of observational studies showed more infections in those consuming more than two units of alcohol per day compared with drinking less in both unadjusted and adjusted data. No association between alcohol consumption and mortality was found. Meta-analyses of RCTs showed that interventions reduce infections but not mortality in patients with alcohol abuse.CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of more than two units of alcohol per day increases post-operative non-surgical site infections. Alcohol-refraining interventions in patients with high daily alcohol consumption appear to reduce infections. The impact in patients with lesser intake is unknown. Further studies are needed.

AB - BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption causes multiple comorbidities with potentially negative outcome after operations. The aims are to study the association between alcohol consumption and post-operative non-surgical site infections and mortality and to determine the impact of peri-operative interventions.METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched systematically. Observational studies reporting patients with a defined amount of alcohol consumption and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed at reducing outcomes were included. Meta-analyses were performed separately for observational studies and RCTs.RESULTS: Thirteen observational studies and five RCTs were identified. Meta-analyses of observational studies showed more infections in those consuming more than two units of alcohol per day compared with drinking less in both unadjusted and adjusted data. No association between alcohol consumption and mortality was found. Meta-analyses of RCTs showed that interventions reduce infections but not mortality in patients with alcohol abuse.CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of more than two units of alcohol per day increases post-operative non-surgical site infections. Alcohol-refraining interventions in patients with high daily alcohol consumption appear to reduce infections. The impact in patients with lesser intake is unknown. Further studies are needed.

U2 - 10.1089/sur.2015.009

DO - 10.1089/sur.2015.009

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26244748

SN - 1096-2964

VL - 16

SP - 657

EP - 668

JO - Surgical Infections

JF - Surgical Infections

IS - 6

ER -