OBJECTIVE: This study investigated error-monitoring deficits in female college students with binge drinking (BD) using event-related potentials (ERPs) and the modified Flanker task. METHODS: Participants were categorized into BD (n=25) and non-BD (n=25) groups based on the scores of the Korean-version of the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT-K) and the Alcohol Use Questionnaire (AUQ). The modified Flanker task, consisting of congruent (target and flanker stimuli are the same) and incongruent (target and flanker stimuli are different) conditions, was used to evaluate error-monitoring abilities. RESULTS: The BD group exhibited significantly shorter response times and more error rates on the Flanker task, as well as reduced error-related negativity (ERN) amplitudes compared with the non-BD group. Additionally, ERN amplitudes measured at FCz and Cz were significantly correlated with scores on the AUDIT-K and AUQ in the whole participants. The BD and non-BD groups did not show any significant differences in error positivity amplitudes. CONCLUSION: The present results indicate that college students with BD have deficits in error-monitoring, and that reduced ERN amplitudes may serve as a biological marker or risk factor of alcohol use disorder.
Alcohol Drinking ; Binge Drinking ; Biomarkers ; Evoked Potentials ; Female ; Humans ; Reaction Time ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: Dry eye is a common disease, and coffee is a popular beverage that is heavily consumed in Korea and worldwide. We examined the correlation between coffee consumption and dry eye.METHODS: This study was performed using data from the 5th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which was a cross-sectional study of the Korean population conducted from 24 months. We included adults aged ≥19 years who underwent ophthalmologic examination and excluded those who had comorbid conditions with dry eye. The subjects were divided into dry eye and control groups. The dry eye group consisted of those who had been clinically diagnosed with dry eye. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between coffee consumption and dry eye.RESULTS: An inverse correlation was found between coffee consumption and dry eye in the group that consumed 3 cups of coffee a day (P=0.001). However, after multivariate adjustment, the statistical significance of the correlation disappeared (P=0.283).CONCLUSION: Consumption of 3 cups of coffee a day in comparison to non-consumption group was negatively correlated with dry eye in an univariate analysis model, but the correlation was not statistically significant after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, binge drinking, sun exposure time and history of eye surgery.
Adult ; Beverages ; Binge Drinking ; Body Mass Index ; Coffee ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dry Eye Syndromes ; Humans ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Solar System

Bipolar affective disorder (BD) diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment are often delayed, and this is associated with poorer outcomes, such as rapid cycling or cognitive decline. Therefore, identifying certain warning signs of a probable successive episode during the inter-episode phase is important for early intervention. We present the retrospective data of three cases of BD. Our first case had a history of alcohol use disorder (AUD), where he drank in a dipsomaniac manner, and the other two cases had dipsomaniac alcohol use before their manic attacks, and none of them had any AUD after the mood episode was over. Two brothers also had hypertensive episodes during the manic attacks. None of the cases reported increased fluid intake when they were euthymic. We suggest that polydipsia in BD may be a warning sign of an upcoming manic episode, especially in those patients with AUD. Polydipsia in BD may be caused or facilitated by a combination of hyperdopaminergic activity, hypothalamic dysfunction, and dysregulated renin-angiotensin system. To be able to prevent new episodes, a patient’s drinking habits and change in fluid intake should be asked at every visit. Those patients with a history of alcohol abuse should especially be informed about polydipsia and manic episode association.
Alcoholism ; Binge Drinking ; Bipolar Disorder ; Comorbidity ; Diagnosis ; Drinking ; Early Intervention (Education) ; Humans ; Mood Disorders ; Polydipsia ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; Retrospective Studies ; Siblings

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the combined effects of abdominal obesity and alcohol drinking on the risk of hypertension in Korean adults (aged ≥30 yrs). METHODS: Data of 13,885 subjects from the sixth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed. The multiple logistic regression tests were used for the analysis, including potential covariates of the model. RESULTS: Frequency of drinking, typical drinking quantity, and frequency of binge drinking had a positive relation to hypertension. The odds ratio of hypertension for risk drinkers with abdominal obesity was 4.81 compared to non-risk drinkers with normal waist circumstance, whereas the odds ratios of hypertension for risk drinkers with normal waist circumstance and non-risk drinkers with abdominal obesity were 1.58 and 2.37 respectively. CONCLUSION: Both abdominal obesity and alcohol drinking patterns were strong risk factors of hypertension in the Korean adults. Risk drinkers with abdominal obesity showed a marked high risk in hypertension compared to those with a single condition alone.
Adult ; Alcohol Drinking ; Binge Drinking ; Drinking ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Korea ; Logistic Models ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Odds Ratio ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Obesity and alcohol drinking are associated with metabolic syndrome. However, few studies show the relationship between alcohol drinking and metabolic syndrome according to varying degrees of obesity. This study aimed to determine the association between alcohol drinking and metabolic syndrome in obese and non-obese Korean male adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 5,867 males aged ≥ 20 years who were examined at the Soonchunhyang University health promotion center during June 2008–December 2010. The subjects were divided into non-obese (body mass index [BMI] < 25 kg/m²) and obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) groups and further divided according to weekly alcohol consumption into nondrinking (0 drinks/week), moderate drinking (≤ 14 drinks/week), and heavy drinking (> 14 drinks/week) groups. The subjects were also categorized into binge drinking and non-binge drinking groups. To obtain odds ratios (ORs) for metabolic syndrome, binary logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: The overall metabolic syndrome prevalence was 27.3% (12.8%, non-obese group; 50.4%, obese group). After adjusting for age, physical activity, and smoking, in the non-obese group, the OR for heavy drinking with binge drinking (reference: nondrinking) was 1.56 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.12–2.18), with a significant increase in metabolic syndrome prevalence. In the obese group, the OR for heavy drinking with binge drinking was 1.42 (95% CI = 1.07–1.88), showing a significant increase in metabolic syndrome prevalence (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In both non-obese and obese Korean males, heavy drinking with binge drinking was associated with increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Thus, both non-obese and obese males should restrict their alcohol intake and not indulge in binge drinking.
Adult* ; Alcohol Drinking ; Binge Drinking* ; Body Mass Index ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Drinking* ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male* ; Motor Activity ; Obesity ; Odds Ratio ; Prevalence ; Smoke ; Smoking

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of pregnant women's experiences with drinking alcohol during first trimester of pregnancy METHODS: The data were collected through in-depth interviews of 7 pregnant women who drank alcohol in the first trimester. Giorgi's phenomenological method was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Findings included 6 main themes and 14 themes. The main themes concerning pregnancy and drinking were: ‘Open attitude in drinking, History of drinking in family or spouse, Seeking information in how drinking affects pregnancy, Regret not doing planned pregnancy and not quitting drinking before pregnancy, Willing to stop drinking until the child birth, Awareness about importance of preconception care. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide a deeper understanding of pregnant women's experiences of drinking alcohol during the first trimester of pregnancy. These results can be used in the development of strategies to prevent drinking alcohol during first trimester and to support preconception care and prenatal care.
Binge Drinking ; Child ; Drinking* ; Family Planning Services ; Female ; Humans ; Methods ; Parturition ; Preconception Care ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women* ; Prenatal Care ; Spouses ; Statistics as Topic

BACKGROUND: Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) is a useful biomarker to identify excessive alcohol consumption; however, few studies have validated the %CDT cut-off value in elderly men. This study estimated the optimal %CDT cut-off value that could identify excessive alcohol consumption in men aged ≥65 years. METHODS: This retrospective study included 120 men who visited the department of family medicine at Chungnam National University Hospital for health check-up between January 2010 and August 2013. At-risk drinking included heavy- and binge drinking. Heavy drinking was defined as more than seven standard drinks/wk, and binge drinking was defined as more than three standard drinks/d. The cut-off %CDT values for at-risk drinking were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Based on the ROC curves, the optimal %CDT cut-off values in ≥65-year-old men were 1.95% for at-risk drinking, 1.81% for heavy drinking, and 2.07% for binge drinking. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 58.7%, 83.6%, 69.2%, and 76.2% for at-risk drinking, respectively. The AUROC were >0.7 for all three evaluated cut-offs. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the %CDT cut-off value for at-risk drinking in elderly Korean men (≥65 years) should be readjusted to a lower value of 1.95%.
Aged* ; Alcohol Drinking ; Binge Drinking ; Biomarkers ; Chungcheongnam-do ; Drinking* ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Transferrin*

Occupational hazards of firefighting and rescue works include frequent exposure to emergencies and life-threatening situations. These stressful work conditions of being constantly under pressure and exposed to potentially traumatic events put them at higher risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compared to the general population. PTSD is a potentially debilitating mental disorder, due to persistent intrusive thoughts, negative alterations of mood and cognition, hypervigilance, avoidance of similar situations and reminders, and re-experiences of the traumatic event. Previous studies have shown a relatively high prevalence of PTSD among firefighters, indicating the need for a systematic approach of early detection and prevention. Therefore, a critical review of the current literature on PTSD in firefighters would provide valuable insights into developing effective prevention and intervention programs. Literature indicated that there are risk factors of PTSD in firefighters, such as pre-existing depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, occupational stress, physical symptoms, and binge drinking, whereas social support and adequate rewards are protective factors. Although there are differences in the prevalence of PTSD across studies, partly due to various assessment tools utilized, different sample sizes, and sample characteristics, over one tenth of the firefighters were estimated to have PTSD. The current review warrants further investigations to precisely assess PTSD and co-morbid mental disorders, functional outcomes, and associated factors, and to develop evidence-based preventive and interventional programs to help firefighters with PTSD.
Anxiety ; Binge Drinking ; Cognition ; Depression ; Emergencies ; Firefighters* ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Prevalence ; Protective Factors ; Rescue Work ; Reward ; Risk Factors ; Sample Size ; Sleep Wake Disorders ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol consumption of university students in Metro Manila was determined and compared to other countries in the region and in the West.
METHODS: A survey of students from ten randomly selected public and private universities in Metro Manila was done.
RESULTS: A total of 2,930 students participated, 46.1% from public schools and 58.9% were female. Of the total students, 81.6% had drank an alcoholic drink in their lifetime; and 15.6% drank beer, 22.5% drank wine and 11.4% drank distilled spirits before they were 13 years old. For the past 30 days, 30.2% drank beer, 30.8% distilled spirit and 18.7% wine; 16.9%, 7.4% and 19.7% binged on beer, wine and distilled spirits, respectively; and 29.1% got drunk. Five percent of the students had drank inside their school. Of those who drove any motorized vehicle, 28.9% drove when they had drank and of those who use prohibited drugs, 66.7% mixed the two. Thirty one percent said they tried to quit drinking in the past 12 months and 7.5% admitted they have a drinking problem.
CONCLUSION: Alcohol consumption of Metro Manila students approximates those of other countries. For policy and monitoring purposes, it is recommended that this survey be done regularly with a nationwide scope and compare this with other countries for best practices.

BACKGROUND: This research investigated the sensitivity and specificity of heavy and binge drinking for screening of alcohol use disorder. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted with 976 adults who visited the Sun Health Screening Center for health screenings in 2015. Daily drinking amount, drinking frequency per week, and weekly drinking amount were investigated. Using criteria from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, participants were classified as normal drinkers, heavy drinkers, or binge drinkers, and grouped by age and sex. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of heavy and binge drinking were compared for the diagnosis of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) 4th edition-text revision and alcohol use disorder using the DSM 5th edition. RESULTS: The sensitivity of heavy and binge drinking for the diagnosis of alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, and alcohol use disorder were 51.7%, 43.8%, and 35.3%, and 69.0%, 62.5%, and 48.2%, respectively. The specificity of these were 90.1%, 91.7%, and 95.5%, and 84.3%, 86.8%, and 91.2%, respectively. The PPV of these were 24.8%, 40.5%, and 72.7%, and 21.7%, 38.0%, and 65.2%, respectively. The NPV of these were 96.7%, 92.6%, and 81.2%, and 97.8%, 94.7%, and 83.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Heavy and binge drinking did not show enough diagnostic power to screen DSM alcohol use disorder although they did show high specificity and NPV.
Adult ; Alcoholism ; Alcohol Drinking ; Binge Drinking* ; Diagnosis* ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (U.S.) ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity