Alcohol Use Disorder Following Bariatric Surgery: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Bariatric Surgery
• Addiction Medicine
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Bariatric surgery is increasingly common for obesity treatment.
• Emerging evidence suggests a link between bariatric surgery and alcohol use disorder (AUD).
• Understanding post-surgical AUD risk factors and manifestations is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) following bariatric surgery.
• To identify risk factors and specific manifestations of increased AUD risk, including alcohol sensitivity and earlier symptom onset.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review adhering to PRISMA guidelines was conducted.
• Searches were performed on PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, and Science.gov for English articles published from 2013 to present.
• Eleven studies involving adult bariatric surgery patients with a history of alcohol consumption met the inclusion criteria.

Main Results:

• Findings indicate an elevated risk of AUD post-bariatric surgery, especially after sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.
• Strong evidence shows increased alcohol sensitivity and earlier onset of AUD symptoms after surgery.
• These changes can lead to significant potential health effects.

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive preoperative assessments are essential for identifying patients at risk of AUD.
• Tailored interventions should be developed and implemented for bariatric surgery patients at risk of AUD.
• Further research is needed to fully understand and mitigate post-bariatric surgery AUD.