Researchers looked at alcohol use in 755 people who inject drugs while they were being treated for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The patients received either patient navigation support or a modified directly observed therapy model of care. The study followed them during treatment and for up to three years afterward.
Overall, there was no significant difference in alcohol use scores between those who were cured of HCV and those who were not, or between the two care models. However, among the patients who were cured, scores on a standard alcohol screening test were significantly lower at every follow-up visit compared to their baseline. For patients who reported hazardous drinking at the start, drinking was significantly reduced at all visits in both treatment groups.
It is important to be careful with these results. This was a secondary look at data from a larger trial, not a study designed primarily to test alcohol use. The researchers did not report how large the reductions were or the actual number of people who reduced drinking. The study shows a link, but it cannot prove that being cured of HCV caused people to drink less. For now, the findings suggest that the period of HCV treatment might be a good time to also offer support for alcohol use, especially for those at higher risk.