Increased Risk of Mesenteric Ischemia in Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective: To investigate the association between alcohol use disorder and the risk of mesenteric ischemia by conducting a population-based retrospective cohort study. Patients and Methods: The present study enrolled 62,115 patients hospitalized for alcoholic intoxication between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2009, and matched each of them with 4 comparison patients with similar mean age and sex ratios. We determined the cumulative incidences and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of mesenteric ischemia. Results: A significant association was observed between alcoholic intoxication and mesenteric ischemia (aHR, 5.21; 95% CI, 4.36-6.23; P<.0001) after adjustment for age, sex, and comorbidity history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, atrial fibrillation, stroke, heart failure, chronic renal disease, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cirrhosis. After less than 1 year of follow-up, the incidence rate of mesenteric ischemia in the alcoholic intoxication group was approximately 9.38-fold higher than that in the comparison patients (aHR, 9.38; 95% CI, 5.52-15.9; P<.0001). Conclusion: Physicians should carefully consider the alcohol history of patients who complain of abdominal pain and respond poorly to treatment, because alcohol use disorder is a risk factor for mesenteric ischemia, a surgical emergency. (C) 2016 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research