ICoLD [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Impact of COVID-19 outbreak on alcohol consumption in patients with alcohol-related liver disease
IRAS ID
284173
Contact name
Naina Shah
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
The lockdown consequent to Coronavirus outbreak has had a differential impact on the drinking behaviour on the general population. We don’t know its impact on the people with underlying chronic liver disease related to alcohol as some of them may have complex psychosocial background. The alcohol consumption in people with Alcohol-related Liver Disease (ArLD) is either due to alcohol dependence or related to their lifestyle. Alcohol dependence is a chronic relapsing remitting condition and this is associated with 60% mortality at 5 years in people who continue drinking.
Recovery from alcohol-use disorder (AUD) has been made more difficult during lock-down because peer support meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) have no longer been taking place; a majority of the residential rehabilitation centres have closed or are no longer accepting admissions (PHE, 2020) and the single detoxification unit in London has been requisitioned as a COVID-19 step-down facility.
The aim of the study is to understand the influence of lockdown on the craving of alcohol and severity of alcohol dependence in patients with ArLD.
The results from the study will enable us to identify the factors influencing the drinking behaviour during lockdown and a subsequent impact on episodes of decompensation and mortality.REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/HRA/2776
Date of REC Opinion
22 Sep 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion