IBAFiRST
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Brief Intervention and Fibroscan for Harmful Drinking for Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department: A Randomised Feasibility Study
IRAS ID
270557
Contact name
Frank Coffey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
We plan to assess the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial of an innovative screening (Identification), Brief intervention, Fibroscan and Self-Referral for Specialist Treatment (IBAFiRST) programme for high risk drinkers in the Emergency Department (ED). IBAFiRST extends existing screening and advice given to people with potential alcohol use disorders in ED. Currently patients who drink heavily have brief advice and are asked to refer themselves to community specialist alcohol services after leaving ED. A Fibroscan is a safe, quick and reliable ultrasound test to see if there are signs of “stiffening” of the liver which can indicate early liver damage. It is recommend as a non-invasive test by NICE but to our knowledge is not used within EDs in the UK. We wish to test whether giving the patients the results of this scan will make them more likely to seek alcohol treatment. Currently take up rates are low and too few people are seeking treatment to help them reduce their alcohol intake. Because so little is known about self-referral in ED we are doing a feasibility study before seeking funding for a large scale randomised trial.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/WM/0151
Date of REC Opinion
1 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion