Alcohol-Induced Pancreatitis, Liver Disease Increasing Among Young Adults
Exploring data from the past 20 years, researchers investigated the end-organ complications from alcohol in adolescents and young adults.
When compared with all other organ systems, alcohol-induced gastrointestinal complications have increased the most among adolescents and young adults (AYA), according to data published in JAMA Network Open.1 The most frequent complication patients had was pancreatitis, followed by alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), highlighting the need for future research into alcohol’s association with the digestive system.
“Alcohol is the cause of deaths among 13.5% of individuals aged 20 to 39 years worldwide. Studies suggest the incidence of ALD is increasing disproportionally among AYAs, especially young females,” wrote authors of the study.
Aside from ALD, alcohol has been known to cause acute and chronic pancreatitis as well as impact other organs like the heart and stomach.
Alcohol has been previously known to impact various organs including the liver, pancreas, heart, and more. | image credit: Rido / stock.adobe.com
“When it comes to alcohol and the digestive system, many people are familiar with conditions related to the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder—such as cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and more,” according to American Addiction Centers.2 “However, alcohol can affect myriad organs and functions in the digestion system from the point it enters the body until it is metabolized or excreted.”
READ MORE: OTC Roundup: Digestive Health Products
There has been extensive research dedicated to the association between alcohol and ALD among AYA. However, researchers noted that there was little evidence explaining all other end-organ complications impacted by the use of alcohol. With the investigators looking into end-organ complications, they were referring to the damage of major organs caused by events such as disease and behavioral changes.3
“However, the epidemiology of alcohol-associated end-organ complications other than ALD among AYAs has not been described. This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of end-organ complications from alcohol among AYAs over the past 2 decades in the general population,” they wrote.1
Exploring inpatient and incident emergency data from 2003 to 2025, researchers gathered alcohol-induced end-organ patient encounters among AYAs 13 to 39 years old. Each encounter was separated into 3 groups for various organs, including pancreas, liver, and a group for all other organs.
A total of 11,508 AYAs (median age, 28 years; 64% men) were included in the final analysis. Pancreas complications were most frequent, occurring in 29% of patients, with 19% experiencing liver-related complications. While 52% of the population experienced some other end-organ complication, none were more frequent than pancreatitis.1
“Most pancreatic complications were acute pancreatitis (92%),” they continued. “Compared with AYAs with other end-organ complications, those with pancreas-related complications were more likely to be male (71%), reside in urban locations (88%), and require hospitalization (77%).”
Because of the previous knowledge regarding alcohol’s heightened impact on the digestive system, researchers made its primary outcomes related to diseases of the liver and pancreas. These organs are responsible for creating the digestive “juices” necessary for digestion of fats, vitamins, and other essential nutrients.4
Furthermore, this study provides evidence regarding the dangers of alcohol to digestive health and how these events are on the rise amongst AYAs. It also further described how alcohol impacts men and women differently. “Similar to ALD, males and females may have a different risk of acute and chronic pancreatitis for the same level of alcohol exposure. It is unclear what factors are associated with this rise in disease burden,” they added.1
Perhaps more alarming, study data showed a significant increase in alcohol-induced pancreatitis and ALD in the past 20 years. Whether it’s a greater prominence of alcohol use among AYAs or an increased risk of end-organ complications in the same population, researchers are continuing to explore digestive health in AYAs and other age groups alike.
“These findings underscore the importance of gastroenterologists in caring for individuals with harmful alcohol use and support the integration of addiction medicine into gastroenterology training along with consideration for multidisciplinary gastroenterology-addiction medicine clinics,” concluded the authors.1 “Future research to understand these observations and evaluations in other age groups is urgently needed.”
READ MORE: Digestive Health Resource Center
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