Background: This open-label, randomized controlled trial evaluated the effect of a brief intervention considering five genotype combinations of enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism (ALDH2 and ADH1B) in the students and staff of a university aged 20–30 years who were excessive drinking behavior (average amount of alcohol consumed, men:
4 drinks/per day and women:
2 drinks/per day; 1 drink = 10 g of pure
alcohol equivalent).
Methods: Focusing on the primary
endpoint “average daily alcohol consumption” (g pure alcohol equivalent), data
were collected from a randomized self-administered questionnaire survey linked
by ID number and six-month drinking records, with both the intervention and
control groups surveyed at 1, 3, and 6 months after intervention and from
baseline, respectively. The intervention group was genotyped for
alcohol-metabolizing enzymes using saliva, and recorded the amount and contents
of alcohol consumed on drinking days until the results were reported
approximately one month later, and after the results were reported, the
intervention was conducted in person or online for 30 minutes. The control
group received traditional materials, and genetic testing was conducted at 6
months (at the end of the study) on a voluntary basis. The Wilcoxon signed rank
test was used for pre- and post-intervention comparisons, and the Mann–Whitney
U test was used for between group comparisons at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6
months.
Results: By the end of June 2023, 204
participants had registered and were allocated into the intervention (n=100)
and control (n=96) groups using simple randomization. The mean age was 22.5
years (85 men; 111 women). Average daily alcohol consumption decreased
significantly in the intervention group between “baseline to 1 month” and at 1,
3, and 6 months after the intervention (p<0.01). No significant difference
was observed in the control group at all time points. Furthermore, no
significant difference was found between the groups at baseline, after which
the intervention group consumed significantly less average alcohol at 3 months
after the intervention (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Average daily alcohol
consumption significantly reduced in the intervention group at 6 months.
Genetic testing for alcohol-metabolizing enzymes and health guidance on
type-specific excessive drinking may be useful in reducing sustained average
alcohol consumption.
Author (s) Details
Yukiko Owaki
University of Tsukuba, Japan.
Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/dhrni/v4/2019
