Screening of binge drinking among patients on an emergency surgical ward

Alcohol. 2002 Jun;27(2):77-82. doi: 10.1016/s0741-8329(02)00202-1.

Abstract

In a sample of 149 emergency surgical patients, binge drinking was assessed through interviews. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated for three questionnaires-the Malmö modification of brief MAST (Mm-MAST), CAGE, and the Trauma Scale-and two biological markers-carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT). Binge drinking was reported by 42% of male patients, aged 16-29 years; 66% of female patients, aged 16-29 years; 27% of male patients, aged 30-73 years; and 16% of female patients, aged 30-73 years. All alcohol biomarkers had low sensitivity to binge drinking among women. Mm-MAST alone and CAGE and CDT combined were sensitive to identifying binge drinking among men aged 30-73 years. The three questionnaires combined had a sensitivity of 0.82 to binge drinking among men aged 16-29 years.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Alcohol Drinking* / prevention & control
  • Alcohol Drinking* / psychology
  • Alcoholism / diagnosis*
  • Alcoholism / prevention & control
  • Alcoholism / psychology
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Emergency Medical Services / statistics & numerical data*
  • Emergency Service, Hospital / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patients / psychology
  • Patients / statistics & numerical data
  • Sex Factors
  • Surgery Department, Hospital / statistics & numerical data
  • Surveys and Questionnaires