Alcohol and Lung Injury and Immunity

Annually, excessive alcohol use accounts for more than $220 billion in economic costs and 80,000 deaths, making excessive alcohol use the third leading lifestyle-related cause of death in the US. Patients with an alcohol-use disorder (AUD) also have an increased susceptibility to respiratory pathogens and lung injury, including a 2 –4-fold increased risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This review investigates some of the potential mechanisms by which alcohol causes lung injury and impairs lung immunity.

Source: Alcohol - September 15, 2016 Category: Addiction Authors: Samantha M. Yeligar, Michael M. Chen, Elizabeth J. Kovacs, Joseph H. Sisson, Ellen L. Burnham, Lou Ann S. Brown Source Type: research