Change in consumption patterns for treatment-seeking patients with alcohol use disorder post-bariatric surgery

The aim of this study is to describe the clinical phenotype of alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment-seeking patients with Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery (RYGB) history; and to compare it to AUD obese non-RYGB controls. Methods: Retrospective study of electronic medical records for all patients 30-60. years treated at the Mayo Clinic Addiction Treatment Program, between June, 2004 and July, 2012. Comparisons were performed with consumption patterns pre-RYGB and at time of treatment; excluding patients with AUD treatments pre-RYGB. Results: Forty-one out of 823 patients had a RYGB history (4.9%); 122 controls were selected. Compared to controls, the RYGB group had significantly more females [. n = 29 (70.7%) vs. n = 35 (28.7%) p < 0.0001]; and met AUD criteria at a significantly earlier age (19.1 ± 0.4 vs. 25.0 ± 1. years old, p = 0.002). On average, RYGB patients reported resuming alcohol consumption 1.4 ± 0.2. years post-surgery, meeting criteria for AUD at 3.1 ± 0.5. years and seeking treatment at 5.4 ± 0.3. years postoperatively. Pre-surgical drinks per day were significantly fewer compared to post-surgical consumption [2.5 ± 0.4 vs. 8.1 ± 1.3, p = 0.009]. Prior to admission, RYGB patients reported fewer drinking days per week vs. controls (4.7 ± 0.3 vs. 5.5 ± 1.8. days, p = 0.02). Neither RYGB, gender, age nor BMI was associated with differential drinking patterns. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that some patients develop progressive AUD several years following RYGB. This observation has important clinical implications, calling for AUD-preventive measures following RYGB. Further large-scale longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the association between RYGB and AUD onset.