Objective

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) shows a high prevalence and often takes a severe and chronic course. However, the underlying mechanisms still need to be better understood. There is increasing evidence for a role of sex hormones in AUD and for the importance of sex-separated concepts in addiction research. Nevertheless, only few data give insight into how progesterone is involved in AUD.

Method

Serum progesterone levels were measured at baseline (during early abstinence) in 186 in-patients with AUD (19% premenopausal females, 20% postmenopausal females, 61% males) and at median 5 days later. They were compared with those of 233 healthy control subjects (24% premenopausal females, 19% postmenopausal females, 57% males). We quantified craving with the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) and visual analogue scales (VAS). Alcohol-related hospital readmissions within a 24-month period following initial in-patient treatment were recorded. We conducted analyses separately for sex and for menopausal status in female participants.

Results

Postmenopausal females with AUD reported higher craving than premenopausal females. In postmenopausal females, higher baseline progesterone levels correlated with lower OCDS total craving and VAS craving, i.e., lower state craving and lower average, maximum, and less frequent craving during withdrawal. In males with AUD, progesterone levels at baseline tended to be higher than in controls and declined to follow-up. Alcohol-related readmissions were not significantly associated with serum progesterone levels.

Conclusion

We provide first evidence that progesterone levels correlate with craving in females with AUD.

中文翻译：

---

孕激素血清水平与女性绝经后酒精使用障碍患者的渴望呈负相关：一项性别和绝经状态分离的研究

客观的

酒精使用障碍 (AUD) 的患病率很高，并且通常会经历严重的慢性病程。但是，仍然需要更好地理解潜在的机制。越来越多的证据表明性激素在 AUD 中的作用以及性别分离概念在成瘾研究中的重要性。然而，只有很少的数据可以深入了解黄体酮如何参与 AUD。

方法

对 186 名 AUD 住院患者（19% 绝经前女性、20% 绝经后女性、61% 男性）和 5 天后的中位值在基线（早期戒断期间）测量血清孕酮水平。他们与 233 名健康对照受试者（24% 的绝经前女性、19% 的绝经后女性、57% 的男性）进行了比较。我们使用强迫性饮酒量表 (OCDS) 和视觉模拟量表 (VAS) 来量化渴望。记录初始住院治疗后 24 个月内与酒精相关的再入院情况。我们分别对女性参与者的性别和绝经状态进行了分析。

结果

患有 AUD 的绝经后女性报告的渴望高于绝经前女性。在绝经后女性中，较高的基线孕酮水平与较低的 OCDS 总渴望和 VAS 渴望相关，即较低的状态渴望和较低的平均、最大和较低频率的戒断期间渴望。在患有 AUD 的男性中，基线时的孕酮水平往往高于对照组，并且拒绝进行随访。与酒精相关的再入院与血清孕酮水平没有显着相关性。

结论

我们提供了第一个证据表明孕酮水平与 AUD 女性的渴望相关。