Informing the development of diagnostic criteria for differential diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers: A systematic scoping review

<h4>Background</h4> Early detection and diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers is crucial to facilitating appropriate referral and treatment. However, there is lack of consensus in defining diagnostic criteria for ARCI. Uncertainty in attributing a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lisa Jones, Lynn Owens, Andrew Thompson, Ian Gilmore, Paul Richardson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9907814/?tool=EBI
_version_ 1811167158939418624
author Lisa Jones
Lynn Owens
Andrew Thompson
Ian Gilmore
Paul Richardson
author_facet Lisa Jones
Lynn Owens
Andrew Thompson
Ian Gilmore
Paul Richardson
author_sort Lisa Jones
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4> Early detection and diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers is crucial to facilitating appropriate referral and treatment. However, there is lack of consensus in defining diagnostic criteria for ARCI. Uncertainty in attributing a diagnosis of suspected ARCI commonly arises in clinical practice and opportunities to intervene are missed. A systematic scoping review approach was taken to (i) summarise evidence relating to screening or diagnostic criteria used in clinical studies to detect ARCI; and (ii) to determine the extent of the research available about cognitive assessment tools used in ‘point-of-care’ screening or assessment of patients with suspected non-Korsakoff Syndrome forms of ARCI. <h4>Methods</h4> We searched Medline, PsycINFO, Cinahl and the Web of Science, screened reference lists and carried out forward and backwards citation searching to identify clinical studies about screening, diagnosis or assessment of patients with suspected ARCI. <h4>Results</h4> In total, only 7 studies met our primary objective and reported on modifications to existing definitions or diagnostic criteria for ARCI. These studies revealed a lack of coordinated research and progress towards the development and standardisation of diagnostic criteria for ARCI. Cognitive screening tools are commonly used in practice to support a diagnosis of ARCI, and as a secondary objective we included an additional 12 studies, which covered a range of settings and patient populations relevant to screening, diagnosis or assessment in acute, secondary or community ‘point-of-care’ settings. Across two studies with a defined ARCI patient sample and a further four studies with an alcohol use disorder patient sample, the accuracy, validity and/or reliability of seven different cognitive assessment tools were examined. The remaining seven studies reported descriptive findings, demonstrating the lack of evidence available to draw conclusions about which tools are most appropriate for screening patients with suspected ARCI. <h4>Conclusion</h4> This review confirms the scarcity of evidence available on the screening, diagnosis or assessment of patients with suspected ARCI. The lack of evidence is an important barrier to the development of clear guidelines for diagnosing ARCI, which would ultimately improve the real-world management and treatment of patients with ARCI.
first_indexed 2024-04-10T16:04:27Z
format Article
id doaj.art-1ce8668ad66d4e35abbba6ad0dcbd621
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-10T16:04:27Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-1ce8668ad66d4e35abbba6ad0dcbd6212023-02-10T05:31:52ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01182Informing the development of diagnostic criteria for differential diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers: A systematic scoping reviewLisa JonesLynn OwensAndrew ThompsonIan GilmorePaul Richardson<h4>Background</h4> Early detection and diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers is crucial to facilitating appropriate referral and treatment. However, there is lack of consensus in defining diagnostic criteria for ARCI. Uncertainty in attributing a diagnosis of suspected ARCI commonly arises in clinical practice and opportunities to intervene are missed. A systematic scoping review approach was taken to (i) summarise evidence relating to screening or diagnostic criteria used in clinical studies to detect ARCI; and (ii) to determine the extent of the research available about cognitive assessment tools used in ‘point-of-care’ screening or assessment of patients with suspected non-Korsakoff Syndrome forms of ARCI. <h4>Methods</h4> We searched Medline, PsycINFO, Cinahl and the Web of Science, screened reference lists and carried out forward and backwards citation searching to identify clinical studies about screening, diagnosis or assessment of patients with suspected ARCI. <h4>Results</h4> In total, only 7 studies met our primary objective and reported on modifications to existing definitions or diagnostic criteria for ARCI. These studies revealed a lack of coordinated research and progress towards the development and standardisation of diagnostic criteria for ARCI. Cognitive screening tools are commonly used in practice to support a diagnosis of ARCI, and as a secondary objective we included an additional 12 studies, which covered a range of settings and patient populations relevant to screening, diagnosis or assessment in acute, secondary or community ‘point-of-care’ settings. Across two studies with a defined ARCI patient sample and a further four studies with an alcohol use disorder patient sample, the accuracy, validity and/or reliability of seven different cognitive assessment tools were examined. The remaining seven studies reported descriptive findings, demonstrating the lack of evidence available to draw conclusions about which tools are most appropriate for screening patients with suspected ARCI. <h4>Conclusion</h4> This review confirms the scarcity of evidence available on the screening, diagnosis or assessment of patients with suspected ARCI. The lack of evidence is an important barrier to the development of clear guidelines for diagnosing ARCI, which would ultimately improve the real-world management and treatment of patients with ARCI.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9907814/?tool=EBI
spellingShingle Lisa Jones
Lynn Owens
Andrew Thompson
Ian Gilmore
Paul Richardson
Informing the development of diagnostic criteria for differential diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers: A systematic scoping review
PLoS ONE
title Informing the development of diagnostic criteria for differential diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers: A systematic scoping review
title_full Informing the development of diagnostic criteria for differential diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers: A systematic scoping review
title_fullStr Informing the development of diagnostic criteria for differential diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers: A systematic scoping review
title_full_unstemmed Informing the development of diagnostic criteria for differential diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers: A systematic scoping review
title_short Informing the development of diagnostic criteria for differential diagnosis of alcohol-related cognitive impairment (ARCI) among heavy drinkers: A systematic scoping review
title_sort informing the development of diagnostic criteria for differential diagnosis of alcohol related cognitive impairment arci among heavy drinkers a systematic scoping review
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9907814/?tool=EBI
work_keys_str_mv AT lisajones informingthedevelopmentofdiagnosticcriteriafordifferentialdiagnosisofalcoholrelatedcognitiveimpairmentarciamongheavydrinkersasystematicscopingreview
AT lynnowens informingthedevelopmentofdiagnosticcriteriafordifferentialdiagnosisofalcoholrelatedcognitiveimpairmentarciamongheavydrinkersasystematicscopingreview
AT andrewthompson informingthedevelopmentofdiagnosticcriteriafordifferentialdiagnosisofalcoholrelatedcognitiveimpairmentarciamongheavydrinkersasystematicscopingreview
AT iangilmore informingthedevelopmentofdiagnosticcriteriafordifferentialdiagnosisofalcoholrelatedcognitiveimpairmentarciamongheavydrinkersasystematicscopingreview
AT paulrichardson informingthedevelopmentofdiagnosticcriteriafordifferentialdiagnosisofalcoholrelatedcognitiveimpairmentarciamongheavydrinkersasystematicscopingreview