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Immunology
Concurrent

Alcohol With Critical Illness: Don't Mix

Sunday, March 22, 2026
3:15 PM - 4:15 PM Central Time
Location: W187

One in eight critically ill patients report alcohol use disorder (AUD). The incidence has increased further since the COVID-19 pandemic. AUD is an independent risk factor for sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome mortality. Emerging evidence suggests that alcohol exposure regulates immune response and impairs pathogen clearance. Alcohol also damages intestinal epithelial barrier function, which further fuels the dysregulation of immune response in critically ill patients. The goal of this session is to discuss how AUD fundamentally changes the immune response in critical illness and how research is needed to address this clinically important patient population.

Learning Objectives:

  • Discuss treatment challenges of alcohol use disorder (AUD) in the ICU
  • Recognize the impact of AUD on immune response in sepsis and how AUD leads to barrier dysfunction in critically ill patients
  • Describe how AUD is a risk factor for the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome and its outcomes

Presentations:

  • 3:20 PM - 3:35 PM Central Time
    Alcohol Use Disorder and Immune Response in Sepsis

    Vidula Vachharajani, MD, FCCP, FCCM – Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine

  • 3:35 PM - 3:50 PM Central Time
    Alcohol Use Disorder and Gut Barrier Dysfunction in Critically Ill Patients

    Craig Coopersmith, MD, MCCM (he/him/his) – Emory University Hospital

  • 3:50 PM - 4:05 PM Central Time
    Alcohol Influences on Immune Response in ARDS

    Jamie L. Sturgill, PhD (she/her/hers) – University of Kentucky