Rate of consumption as a risk factor for alcohol use disorders: Evidence from a laboratory model

Authors

• JL Gowin
• ME Sloan
• BL Stangl
• J Stoddard
• V Vatsalya
• VA Ramchandani

Abstract

Alcohol is one of the most widely used and abused drugs worldwide, but determining risk for problematic drinking remains difficult. Although consuming large quantities is a well-established risk factor, rate of consumption is largely unstudied. To examine this, we recruited 210 volunteers whose consumption patterns ranged from social to heavy drinking. Participants completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) to assess risk for alcohol problems and the Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB) interview to quantify number of drinks over the previous 90 days. Participants then completed a laboratory session where they received a priming dose of alcohol followed by 125 minutes of ad libitum intravenous alcohol self-administration. The primary outcome measure was whether participants achieved binge-level exposure, defined by the NIAAA guideline of a Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC) above 0.08 g%. The predictor variables were age, sex, and the two drinking measures. Cox proportional hazard models revealed that AUDIT scores and total drinks were both significant predictors of binging during the session; individuals with higher scores and more drinks achieved 0.08 g% BrAC more frequently and faster (p

Scientific Focus Area: Social and Behavioral Sciences

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