Talk:Long-term effects of alcohol

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[edit] Agenda for MCOTW

Having a quick review of this article, I can identify the following points:

  • This is not about a disease, but a public health/epidemiology topic. Some variances will therefore have to be made from WP:MCOTW.
  • A glaring omission is the development of chronic liver disease, on which there is significant (and worrying) epidemiological data available. At least some of the content of alcoholic liver disease should be discussed here. (I'm trying to borrow a copy of ISBN 0415275822 from one of its editors...)
Note: Theres a limited copy available to preview online here. Regards, CycloneNimrodTalk? 11:12, 13 May 2008 (UTC)
  • There is no section on psychiatric illness caused by, aggravated by, and possibly relieved by chronic alcohol use.
  • We must apply a high level of scrutiny to all claims of benefit or harm. This is not child's play. News articles or other non-peer reviewed reports are not acceptable. Small observational studies cannot simply be cited unless they are methodologically highly sound and the conclusions are generalisable to most populations. Much rather than relying on individual studies we must try to find very large cohort studies, meta-analyses and systematic reviews. If this leads to citing less references but higher quality, we should be happy.
  • We need a short section on the effect of alcohol on tissues. In many cases, adverse or beneficial effect of alcohol on an organ is not at all understood.

There seem to be many sub-articles that are very long but poor on actual information. Some may be merged here. JFW | T@lk 09:50, 12 May 2008 (UTC)

I found this a very good paper: Room R, Babor T, Rehm J (2005). "Alcohol and public health". Lancet 365 (9458): 519–30. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)17870-2. PMID 15705462.  JFW | T@lk 09:52, 12 May 2008 (UTC)
Spiro Keats (talk · contribs) asked me if we could also cast an eye on alcohol and cancer, to which he has devoted a lot of time. That article looks in a very good shape, and could certainly inform this article's content on alcohol vs malignancy. JFW | T@lk 12:41, 12 May 2008 (UTC)
I'm surprised that there's no mention of folate deficiency or Korsakoff's syndrome in the article. I'll try to write something (see what's in my text books) after finals get over on Thursday if no one else has added a section yet. JPINFV (talk) 23:33, 12 May 2008 (UTC)
What are we doing about reliable but not peer reviewed articles? (e.g. things like eMedicine?) Shall we use them or stick entirely to the peered stuff? Regards, CycloneNimrodTalk? 08:14, 13 May 2008 (UTC)
I have a personal strong preference for leaving out Emedicine. For one thing, it focuses quite strongly on the American situation and does not adequately describe practice in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. Secondly, while Emedicine is "peer-reviewed" in the sense that fellow physicians review the content, it is not a classical source like a textbook or a journal. I'm open to persuation. JFW | T@lk 08:59, 16 May 2008 (UTC)

I've added a very short psychological effects section to the article. I'll try and expand upon it but I could really use some decent sources to help? Regards, CycloneNimrodTalk? 11:11, 13 May 2008 (UTC)

I'm finding the differentiation between effects of light/moderate consumption vs abusive consumtion hard. We need some sort of structure e.g. two sections one for low consumption, one for heavy. Could be as two main sections, two sections per effect, or dare I say it as two articles :( LeeVJ (talk) 22:03, 13 May 2008 (UTC)

So, for example, Long-term effects of excessive alcohol consumption and Long-term effects of light or moderate alcohol consumption? Personally, i'm not sure, i'll go with consensus, but I reckon we could keep it as one article and just make it clearer. Regards, CycloneNimrodTalk? 18:32, 15 May 2008 (UTC)
I disagree with an article split. There is very little to say on low consumption - most conditions associated with alcohol occur only as a result of heavy drinking. Let's please keep it as it is.JFW | T@lk 08:56, 16 May 2008 (UTC)
I suppose it could be reworded to start have each section on effects begin with effects of abstinence, low consumption moderate, heavy as a sort of progressive symptoms of a disease type section ? LeeVJ (talk) 11:55, 16 May 2008 (UTC)


I'm somewhat dismayed by the complete absence of acute and chronic pancreatitis in this article. Something else for this aspiring gut doctor to do... JFW | T@lk 08:56, 16 May 2008 (UTC)


Doesn't alcoholism damage the prefrontal cortex?