Previous analyses of data[6] from three alcohol clinical trials (n=3,851) identified seven patterns of drinking during the course of treatment: (1) persistent heavy drinking, (2) increasing heavy drinking, (3) heavy and low risk drinking, (4) heavy drinking alternating with abstinence, (5) low risk drinking, (6) increasing low risk drinking, and (7) abstinence. An examination of outcomes up to 12 months following treatment indicated that those with the heaviest drinking patterns during treatment had the worst outcomes with respect to drinking consequences and self-reported physical and mental health, whereas those with low risk drinking patterns had consistently better long term outcomes. Low risk drinkers during treatment did not differ from abstainers with respect to outcomes up to 12 months following treatment[6].
