[Two year follow-up of inpatients with alcohol-related diseases]

Abstract

Background and objective: Our objective was to study the outcome and compliance of both medical and alcoholism treatment in alcoholics discharged from a general hospital.

Patients and method: This was a 2 years prospective follow up study of a cohort of 100 inpatients referred to the Alcohol Unit during the first semester of 1998.

Results: After 2 years, 9 patients had died and 14 had been referred to other hospitals. 15% of patients refused medical treatment from the beginning and alcoholism treatment was initially refused by 31% of alcoholics. At 2 years of follow up, compliance rates were 46% for medical treatment and 10% for alcoholism treatment. All patients under treatment for alcoholism were also good compliers of medical treatment. Survival analysis for alcoholism treatment at 2 years was 19%, with higher rates in patients with psychosocial problems and previous alcohol consultations. The probability of being alive was 89%.

Conclusions: Few alcoholics are detected. Most of them display high levels of severity and poor prognosis, with high mortality rates. Compliance with follow up treatment is low. There is a clear correlation between compliance of alcoholism and medical treatment.