A polygenic risk score for alcohol-associated cirrhosis among heavy drinkers with European ancestry.

Background: Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) based on results from genome-wide association studies offer the prospect of risk stratification for many common and complex diseases. We developed a PRS for alcohol-associated cirrhosis by comparing single-nucleotide polymorphisms among patients with alcohol-associated cirrhosis (ALC) versus drinkers who did not have evidence of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis.

Methods: Using a data-driven approach, a PRS for ALC was generated using a meta-genome-wide association study of ALC (N=4305) and an independent cohort of heavy drinkers with ALC and without significant liver disease (N=3037).

Predictive Value of Circulating Tumor Cells Detected by ISET in Patients with Non-Metastatic Prostate Cancer Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy.

There is an unmet need for reliable biomarkers to predict prostate cancer recurrence after prostatectomy in order to better guide the choice of surgical treatment. We have evaluated the predictive value of the preoperative detection of Circulating Tumor Cells (CTC) for prostate cancer recurrence after surgery. A cohort of 108 patients with non-metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma undergoing radical prostatectomy was tested for the presence of CTC before prostatectomy using ISET.

A genetic risk score and diabetes predict development of alcohol-related cirrhosis in drinkers.

Background & Aims: Only a minority of excess alcohol drinkers develop cirrhosis. We developed and evaluated risk stratification scores to identify those at highest risk.

Methods: Three cohorts (GenomALC-1: n = 1,690, GenomALC-2: n = 3,037, UK Biobank: relevant n = 6,898) with a history of heavy alcohol consumption (≥80 g/day (men), ≥50 g/day (women), for ≥10 years) were included.

Obesity, Diabetes, Coffee, Tea, and Cannabis Use Alter Risk for Alcohol-Related Cirrhosis in 2 Large Cohorts of High-Risk Drinkers.

Introduction: Sustained high alcohol intake is necessary but not sufficient to produce alcohol-related cirrhosis. Identification of risk factors, apart from lifetime alcohol exposure, would assist in discovery of mechanisms and prediction of risk.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter case-control study (GenomALC) comparing 1,293 cases (with alcohol-related cirrhosis, 75.

Identification of an Endoglin Variant Associated With HCV-Related Liver Fibrosis Progression by Next-Generation Sequencing.

Despite the astonishing progress in treating chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with direct-acting antiviral agents, liver fibrosis remains a major health concern in HCV infected patients, in particular due to the treatment cost and insufficient HCV screening in many countries. Only a fraction of patients with chronic HCV infection develop liver fibrosis. While there is evidence that host genetic factors are involved in the development of liver fibrosis, the common variants identified so far, in particular by genome-wide association studies, were found to have limited effects.

Role of Patient Sex in Early Recovery from Alcohol-Related Cognitive Impairment: Women Penalized.

Background: The objective was to explore the role of patient sex in cognitive recovery and to identify predictive factors for non-recovery in alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Methods: All patients with AUD admitted to a residential addictions treatment center were systematically assessed at admission and after 6 weeks of abstinence in a controlled environment. The inclusion criteria were that patients were admitted for AUD with baseline alcohol-related cognitive impairment (baseline total Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score < 26) and reassessed at 6 weeks ( = 395).

Comparison of the MoCA and BEARNI tests for detection of cognitive impairment in in-patients with alcohol use disorders.

Introduction: Screening of cognitive impairment is a major challenge in alcoholics seeking treatment, since cognitive dysfunction may impair the overall efficacy of rehabilitation programs and consequently increase relapse rate. We compared the performance of two screening tools: the MoCA (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), which is widely used in patients with neurological diseases and already used in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD), and the BEARNI (Brief Evaluation of Alcohol-Related Neuropsychological Impairments), a recent test specifically developed for the alcoholic population.

Methods: We compared the sensitivity and specificity of the MoCA and the BEARNI in a sample of AUD patients with and without cognitive impairment assessed by a battery of neuropsychological tests.

Evaluation of laboratory tests for cirrhosis and for alcohol use, in the context of alcoholic cirrhosis.

Laboratory tests can play an important role in assessment of alcoholic patients, including for evaluation of liver damage and as markers of alcohol intake. Evidence on test performance should lead to better selection of appropriate tests and improved interpretation of results. We compared laboratory test results from 1578 patients between cases (with alcoholic cirrhosis; 753 men, 243 women) and controls (with equivalent lifetime alcohol intake but no liver disease; 439 men, 143 women).

Determination of MoCA Cutoff Score in Patients with Alcohol Use Disorders.

Background: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score is a convenient and promising tool for estimating alcoholic patients' global cognitive functioning, a major challenge for all specialized alcohol treatment centers. However, whether or not the score should be corrected for education level and whether the proposed cutoff is relevant in patients with alcohol use disorders (AUD) should be determined.

Methods: We compared the MoCA scores in patients hospitalized for AUD with and without cognitive impairment assessed by a battery of neuropsychological (NP) tests.

Maintenance of Abstinence in Self-Help Groups.

Aim: To analyse abstinence rates 12 months after alcohol cessation in a sample of French subjects participating in support group meetings.

Method: The project was co-designed with support group representatives, and co-investigator roles were delegated to meeting managers. Subjects who had stopped drinking for <3 months were included.

Effectiveness of a web-based intervention to reduce alcohol consumption among French hazardous drinkers: a randomized controlled trial.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based intervention to reduce alcohol consumption among hazardous drinkers. A two-group parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted among adults identified as hazardous drinkers according to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. The intervention delivers personalized normative feedback and some general information about alcohol.

Use of Psychoactive Medication in Short- and Long-term Abstainers from Alcohol.

Aim: To document the use of prescribed psychoactive medicines in France in patients recovering from alcohol use disorders (AUDs).

Method: Survey among short- and long-term abstainers attending groups of French self-help associations for AUDs, recording socio-demographic profile, duration of abstinence, prescription of psychoactive medication and attitudes towards that, and whether or not in medical or psychological follow-up for AUD.

Result: Five hundred seventy-five abstainers participated.

Investigation of Cognitive Improvement in Alcohol-Dependent Inpatients Using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Score.

. Cognitive dysfunction is a common feature in alcohol use disorders. Its persistence following alcohol detoxification may impair quality of life and increase the risk of relapse.

Follow-Up of Alcohol Consumption After Liver Transplantation: Interest of an Addiction Team?

Background: Alcohol relapses after liver transplantation (LT) constitute a critical issue. Because there is no widely accepted definition of LT, its prevalence varies from 7 to 95% across studies. Only a severe relapse, the frequency of which is estimated to be 11 to 26%, decreases life expectancy after 5 years of LT and requires specific care.

A new 3p25 locus is associated with liver fibrosis progression in human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients.

Unlabelled: There is growing evidence that human genetic variants contribute to liver fibrosis in subjects with hepatitis C virus (HCV) monoinfection, but this aspect has been little investigated in patients coinfected with HCV and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We performed the first genome-wide association study of liver fibrosis progression in patients coinfected with HCV and HIV, using the well-characterized French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis CO13 HEPAVIH cohort. Liver fibrosis was assessed by elastography (FibroScan), providing a quantitative fibrosis score.

coding variants are associated with a high risk of hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence in patients with HCV- or HBV-related liver disease.

The molecular mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) carcinogenesis are still not fully understood. DNA repair defects may influence HCC risk. The aim of the study was to look for potential genetic variants of DNA repair genes associated with HCC risk among patients with alcohol- or viral-induced liver disease.

Prevalence of Psychoactive Substance Consumption in People With Obesity.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and the kind of psychoactive substances consumed by people with obesity.

Methods: Patients were included at their first visit for bariatric surgery. Socio-demographic characteristics, anxiety, depressive disorders and psychoactive substance consumption were assessed.

A Proof of Concept, Phase II Randomized European Trial, on the Efficacy of ALF-5755, a Novel Extracellular Matrix-Targeted Antioxidant in Patients with Acute Liver Diseases.

Objective: No efficient medical treatment is available for severe acute hepatitis (SAH) except N-acetylcysteine for acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure. The human C-type lectin Reg3α, referred to as ALF-5755, improved survival in an animal model of acute liver failure and was well tolerated in a phase 1 trial in humans. We performed a phase 2a trial of ALF5755 in non-acetaminophen induced SAH.

MoCA as a Screening Tool of Neuropsychological Deficits in Alcohol-Dependent Patients.

Background: Alcoholism is known to be associated with cognitive deficits mainly concerning visuospatial capacity, executive function, memory, and attention. These impairments may affect treatment efficacy which should therefore be adapted. We evaluated the potential utility of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to evaluate cognitive impairment in a large series of alcoholic patients hospitalized for withdrawal and rehabilitation.