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Evidence suggests that alcohol misuse before surgery is associated with excess risk for postoperative complications and that abstinence before surgery will lower this risk. In two Veterans Affairs studies, researchers examined whether the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption (AUDIT-C; Box) questionnaire, a validated alcohol-screening instrument, can identify at-risk patients before surgery.
In one study of >9000 men (mean age, 64), investigators determined whether AUDIT-C results obtained within 1 year before surgery were associated with risk for complications (e.g., infections, surgical field complications, cardiopulmonary complications) after noncardiac surgery. Overall, 46% of patients were nondrinkers (AUDIT-C score, 0),…
