Intersection of Coronavirus Disease 2019 and Alcohol-associated Liver Disease: A Review of Emerging Trends and Implications

Abstract

Purpose: This review will provide an overview of alcohol use and alcohol associated liver disease (ALD) prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the impact of the pandemic on alcohol use and ALD. Furthermore, this review will explore strategies to mitigate the growing disease burden of AUD and ALD.

Methods: A search using PubMed was performed for articles on topics related to alcohol use, ALD, and COVID-19. The literature was reviewed and pertinent sources were used for this narrative review.

Findings: In the United States (US), excessive alcohol use is the third leading cause of preventable death. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the increasing prevalence of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and ALD in the US had already constituted a public health crisis given the association between alcohol misuse, AUD, and ALD with significant medical, economic, and societal burdens. The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased alcohol consumption and downstream consequences, including increased prevalence of AUD, ALD, ALD-related hospitalization and death, and liver transplantation for ALD.

Implications: There is a critical need for additional, multi-pronged interventions to mitigate the mortality and morbidity linked to ALD.

Keywords: Alcohol use disorder; Alcohol-associated cirrhosis; Alcohol-associated hepatitis; Alcohol-associated liver disease; COVID-19.