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Zusammenfassung: Ziel: Durch die COVID-19-Pandemie lässt sich ein Anstieg von psychischen Erkrankungen und des Alkoholkonsums vermuten. Ebenso zeigt sich in der Literatur, dass medizinisches Personal in der Pandemie deutlichen psychischen Belastungen ausgesetzt war. Ziel unserer Untersuchung war es, in der zweiten Lockdownperiode und somit zu einer späteren Phase der Pandemie, Veränderungen des Alkoholkonsums sowie psychische Belastungen seit Beginn der Pandemie zu erfassen und dies zwischen medizinischem Personal (MP) und Personen aus anderen Bereichen (AB) zu vergleichen. Methode: Die Online-Befragung fand zwischen 01.12.2020 und 27.01.2021 statt und es nahmen insgesamt 353 Personen teil (MP: n=187; AB: n=166). Neben Daten zum Alkoholkonsum (AUDIT-C) vor und seit der Pandemie, wurden auch Depressivität (PHQ-9) und generalisierte Angstsymptome (GAD-7) erfasst. Ergebnisse: Es zeigte sich, dass der Alkoholkonsum seit Beginn der Pandemie bei den Teilnehmenden zurückgegangen ist. Eine Erhöhung des Konsums gaben 15.0 % an, bei 15.5 % lag ein riskanter Alkoholkonsum vor. Bei knapp 20 % der Gesamtstichprobe zeigte sich der Verdacht auf eine depressive Episode und bei 15 % der Verdacht auf eine generalisierte Angststörung. Die Gruppe MP unterschied sich nicht signifikant von der Gruppe AB. Der Anteil an Menschen mit riskantem Alkoholkonsum scheint in unserer Untersuchung niedrig zu sein. Personen, die ihren Alkoholkonsum gesteigert haben, hatten ein höheres Risiko für höhere AUDIT-C Werte für den Zeitraum seit der Pandemie. Die psychische Belastung ist insgesamt auf einem hohen Niveau. Schlussfolgerungen: Daher sind Strategien erforderlich, die Betroffenen schnell zu identifizieren und zu versorgen.

Zusammenfassung: Zielsetzung: Die Restriktionen während der SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie hatten massive Auswirkungen auf den Alltag der Allgemeinbevölkerung. Ein vermehrter Alkohol- oder Tabakkonsum stellte in dieser Situation eine mögliche Bewältigungsstrategie im Umgang mit den unangenehm erlebten Gefühlen dar. In dieser Studie untersuchten wir die Veränderungen des Alkohol- und Tabakkonsums von Raucherinnen und Rauchern während des Lockdowns im Frühjahr 2020. Methodik: An der anonymen Online- Befragung zu Veränderungen des Tabak- und Alkoholkonsumverhaltens während des Lockdowns im Frühjahr 2020 konnten Raucherinnen und Raucher zwischen 18 und 80 Jahren teilnehmen. Die Umfrage war online verfügbar zwischen dem 8. April und dem 11. Mai 2020. Ergebnisse: 41.8 % der 913 Teilnehmenden gaben an, mehr zu rauchen während des Lockdowns, 39.5 % berichteten, mehr Alkohol zu trinken. 22.02 % aller Studienteilnehmenden erhöhten sowohl den Alkohol- als auch den Tabakkonsum. Ein erhöhtes Stressempfinden im Zusammenhang mit der SARS-CoV-2-Pandemie, die Zugehörigkeit zur Altersgruppe der 25–34-Jährigen und das Anzweifeln der Sinnhaftigkeit der Restriktionsmaßnahmen erhöhten die Wahrscheinlichkeit für eine kombinierte Konsumsteigerung von Tabak und Alkohol. Schlussfolgerungen: Aufgrund dieser Ergebnisse sollten Behandler Raucherinnen und Raucher auf die Gesundheitsrisiken, infolge einer kombinierten Erhöhung des Alkohol- und Tabakkonsums hinweisen. Insbesondere sollte das erhöhte Risiko für die Entwicklung einer Alkoholabhängigkeit thematisiert werden.

Background: During the lockdown, governmental restrictions resulted in changes to the day-to-day routines of many individuals. Some people appear to cope with stress by panic buying in an attempt to stockpile specific goods, resulting in empty supermarket shelves. Moreover, e-commerce experienced significant growth during this period. We aimed to investigate potential changes in shopping frequencies and preferred shopping type (offline/online) and their relationship with pandemic-specific anxiety and stress during the 2020 spring lockdown in Germany. Methods: To address this question, we assessed self-reported changes in shopping behavior in a German sample via an online survey conducted during April and May 2020. Results: A total of 3,122 adults were included in the analysis. Of the total sample, 35% reported no changes in their shopping behavior, 46.8% shopped less, while 18.2% shopped more during the lockdown. The groups differed with respect to sociodemographic variables, and those participants who were shopping more reported greater pandemic-related health fears and stress due to the restrictions. Moreover, they shopped online more often during the lockdown than the other two groups. Conclusion: While the majority of the sample reported no changes in their shopping behavior or even shopped less during the 2020 spring lockdown, a subgroup of individuals was shopping more during this time, especially food and drugstore products. It is important to understand which factors influenced individuals to shop more so that policy makers can target this group and prevent panic buying, especially during subsequent waves of infection. It is also important to inform vulnerable persons about the risk of developing a buying–shopping disorder.

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Similar to other countries, the government of Germany has implemented various restrictions of social life in March 2020 to slow the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. This results in millions of people being isolated for long periods, which may increase feelings of worry and anxiety. As the consumption of alcohol and tobacco is an often used dysfunctional strategy to cope with such feelings, these restrictions might cause an increase of consumption. Already at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that increased alcohol consumption during the lockdown can increase the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in the future. However, up to now little is known about the changes in alcohol-drinking behavior and tobacco smoking in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> To address this theme, we investigated the changes in alcohol and tobacco consumption in the German population aged between 18 and 80 years via an online survey. <b><i>Results:</i></b> In total, 3,245 persons participated in the survey; 35.5% of them reported an increase in drinking during the lockdown (42.9% did not change their drinking behavior, 21.3% drank less, and 0.3% started drinking). The odds of consuming more alcohol during lockdown were associated with middle age, higher subjective stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a lower agreement with the importance of the restrictions, and consuming alcohol more than once per week before the lockdown. Also, 45.8% of the participants increased their smoking during the lockdown. The odds of smoking more during lockdown were associated with higher subjective stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> These findings suggest that it is important to start campaigns to inform the general population about potential long-term effects of increased alcohol and tobacco consumption and to raise the health-care professionals' awareness of this topic.

<i>Aims:</i> Alcohol withdrawal seizures (AWS) are among the most important possible complications during the detoxification treatment of alcohol-dependent patients. Pharmacological therapy is often used during detoxification, but can cause dangerous side effects [Eur Addict Res 2010;16:179–184]. In separate studies several biological markers have been described as being associated with AWS risk. We investigated the role of homocysteine (HCT), carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) and prolactin (PRL) as biological markers for the risk of developing AWS. <i>Methods:</i> The present study included 189 alcohol-dependent patients of whom 51 had a history of AWS. We investigated the HCT, CDT and PRL levels of all patients and calculated sensitivity and specificity. Bayes' theorem was used to calculate positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values. <i>Results:</i> The highest combined sensitivity and specificity for %CDT was reached at a plasma cutoff value of 3.75%. The combination of HCT at a cutoff value of 23.9 µmol/l and %CDT at a cutoff value of 3.75% showed the best predictive values (sensitivity 47.1%, specificity 88.4%, PPV 0.504, NPV 0.870). <i>Conclusion:</i> A combined assessment of HCT and CDT levels can be a useful method to identify patients at a higher risk of AWS, which may lead to a more individualized therapy.

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Shiftwork can be a risk factor for a number of different somatic and psychological health conditions, especially sleep disorders. Shiftworkers sleep less than dayworkers, and 20–40% of them suffer from difficulties initiating and maintaining sleep, which result in reduced capacity for work and social life. A common coping strategy might be the use of alcohol, which presents a health and safety hazard as it further impairs sleep quality and exacerbates sleepiness in the workplace. This review aimed to assess the extent of such possible connections. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed a systematic search of the scientific literature on shiftwork and alcohol consumption in PubMed, PsycInfo, and Cochrane Library. Only original studies comparing shiftworkers with non-shiftworkers were included. The recommendations of the <i>Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses</i> were followed. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Fourteen articles are included in this review. Six studies report some kind of connection between shift- or nightwork and alcohol consumption, especially as a sleep aid. Conflicting or negative results are reported by 3 studies. <b><i>Discussion:</i></b> Shiftwork, especially working at night and in rotation shifts, is associated with binge drinking disorder in different professions. The reasons for pathological consumption of alcohol can be self-medication of sleep problems or coping with stress and psychosocial problems typical for shiftwork. Nurses aged over 50 years represent one important risk group. These results can be important for preventive programs against sleep disorders, including measures other than drinking alcohol as a sleep aid in the workplace of shiftworkers.

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is well known in psychiatric disorders to modulate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. Disturbances of ANP have been described in early abstinent alcohol-dependent patients. This is the first longitudinal investigation on cytosine-phosphatidyl-guanine (CpG)-island promoter methylation of the <i>ANP</i> gene in the blood of tobacco-dependent patients. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In a longitudinal approach, we investigated whether changes in ANP serum levels correlated to CpG methylation of the respective gene promoters on days 1, 7, and 14 of tobacco withdrawal. <b><i>Results</i></b> <b><i>and Conclusion:</i></b> Compared to non-smokers, promoter-related deoxyribonucleic acid methylation of the ANP promoter was significantly elevated on days 7 and 14 of withdrawal in tobacco-dependent patients. Baseline methylation status of the ANP promoter was not significantly different from controls, arguing for an impaired regulation during withdrawal.