JAMA Netw Open

Medications for alcohol use disorder underutilized in severe liver disease

February 17, 2026

In a retrospective cohort of 1,309 patients with severe alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) referred for liver transplant, ≥3 months of medications for alcohol use disorder (MAUD) therapy was associated with markedly improved survival—6.6% higher at 1 year and 18.5% higher at 3 years. This survival benefit held in adjusted analyses (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.39–0.92), independent of MELD score and transplant status.

Clinical takeaway: Clinicians should consider MAUDs—including FDA‑approved and off‑label options—for patients with alcohol use disorder even in the setting of severe liver disease, as evidence suggests meaningful survival benefits.

Source:

Sundaresh R, et al. (2026, February 11). JAMA Netw Open. Medications for Alcohol Use Disorder Among Patients With Severe Alcohol-Related Liver Disease. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41670995/