Clinical Characteristics of Heavy Alcohol Consumption in Young and Middle-Aged Acute Cerebral Infarction: A 12-Month Follow-up Study

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of heavy alcohol consumption among young and middle-aged patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI). Methods A total of 263 young and middle-aged ACI patients were included in the study from June 2018 to December 2020 and classified into heavy drinkers and non-heavy drinkers. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between ACI and heavy alcohol consumption, considering clinical characteristics and one-year post-discharge prognosis. Results Among the patients, 78 were heavy drinkers. Heavy drinkers were more likely to consume alcohol 24 hours before ACI onset (OR 4.03, 95% CI 2.26-7.20), especially in the form of liquor (OR 3.83, 95% CI 1.59-9.20), and had a higher risk of diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg upon admission (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.12-3.64). In the one-year post-discharge prognosis, heavy drinkers had a greater likelihood of poor prognosis at 3 months (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.01-5.25), were less likely to quit drinking after discharge (OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.19-0.66), and had a higher risk of recurrent cerebral infarction (OR 2.79, 95% CI 1.14-6.84). Conclusions Over the 12-month follow-up, young and middle-aged ACI patients with heavy alcohol consumption exhibited worse short-term prognosis. Controlling alcohol consumption levels may improve the prognosis of these patients.