Effectiveness of exercise intervention in improving physical and mental status of patients with alcohol use disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 39475843 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0311166
What was done
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (searched via PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EBSCO, and Embase through June 30, 2024) evaluating exercise interventions (aerobic, resistance, yoga, or mixed) compared to non-exercise controls in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Outcomes assessed included alcohol dependence metrics (drinks per day, drinks per week, AUDIT score) and physical/mental health markers (VO2 max, resting heart rate, anxiety, depression, and stress).
What was found
Across 17 RCTs involving 1,905 patients with AUD, exercise interventions had statistically significant effects on drinks per day, AUDIT scores, VO2 max, resting heart rate, anxiety, depression, and stress levels. Specific effect sizes, point estimates, and confidence intervals were not reported in the abstract. High heterogeneity was observed for drinks per day, anxiety, depression, and stress (I² > 50%), while Egger's test showed no significant publication bias (p > 0.05).
Why it matters
This review supports exercise as an effective adjunctive treatment to improve both drinking-related outcomes and physical and psychological comorbidities in AUD patients.
Limits
The abstract does not provide numerical effect estimates or confidence intervals. Substantial heterogeneity was present across key behavioral and psychological outcomes (I² > 50%), and the search was limited to English-language publications.
Cited by
- supports Meta-analyses demonstrate that exercise interventions reduce drinking volume and improve VO2 max in individuals with alcohol use disorders.