Table 2.

Assessment-timing, outcomes and results of included studies

Paper	Follow-up assessments time points	Alcohol outcomes	Postoperative physical health outcomes	Other intervention Outcomes	Summary of significant results: alcohol use	Summary of significant results: physical health
Kummel et al. [50]	3, 6 and 12 months	Alcohol use frequency (none, one to two times a month or less, or weekly)	Angina pectoris Health and functioning (e.g. ability to climb stairs)	Exercise/PA Diet/nutrition ‘Nervousness’ Depression	Relative to baseline, the IG decreased alcohol use at 3 months while the CG increased alcohol use at 6 and 12 months	Relative to baseline, the IG was more likely to report ‘no angina pectoris symptoms at 3 months; however, the CG was more likely to report ‘no angina pectoris symptoms’ at 6 and 12 months.
McHugh et al. [51]	15 months	Grams per week alcohola	Body mass index Blood pressure Plasma cholesterol General health status	Smoking Exercise/PA	From baseline to follow up, average weekly alcohol consumption decreased in the IG and increased in the CG.	Relative to the CG, the IG had a significant decrease in body mass index, cholesterol and blood pressure at follow up. The IG also had significant increases in general health status and functioning.
Shourie et al. [52]	Hospital discharge and 6 months	AUDIT-C score Average daily alcohol consumption Alcohol dependence diagnosis (DSM-IV)	Major postoperative complications (e.g. repeat surgery, transfusion) Minor postoperative complications (e.g. wound infections) Mortality Physical functioning	Number of visits to GP Hospital admissions Days unable to work Smoking	The entire sample reduced alcohol use at follow up, but there were not significant between-group differences in AUDIT-C score, daily alcohol use or diagnosis of alcohol dependence.	No between-group differences in postoperative morbidity, mortality or health-care utilisation.
Hansen et al. [53]	3 months	Number of patients meeting alcohol risk criteria reported for baseline assessment only	Unintentional patient pathb Sum of postoperative complications Mortality General health status ‘Disease Specific Outcome Score’ (e.g. walking distance)	Hospital length of stay Hospital readmission	Post-intervention alcohol use was not reported	There were significantly fewer unintentional patient pathsb in the IG relative to the CG.

^aUnpublished result. Data provided by author.

^bAn unintentional patient path was defined as ‘a path by which the patient did not reach the discharge criteria within five days (minor complications), or had any postoperative complication within three months (major complications) leading to a non-planned inpatient visit, was readmitted within three months irrespective of cause, or died within three months postoperatively irrespective of cause.’

AUDIT-C, Alcohol Use Identification Test; CG, control group; DSM-IV, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition; GP, general practitioner; IG, intervention group; PA, physical activity.