Controlled postoperative red wine intake versus abstinence in habitual wine drinkers undergoing elective urological surgery (WISE): a translational randomized controlled trial assessing quality of life, surgical outcomes and complications
In brief
Postoperative red wine did not improve 30-day mental health scores after urologic surgery
In a randomized trial of habitual wine drinkers, two glasses of red wine daily after elective urologic surgery did not improve mental health scores at 30 days compared with abstinence. Complications, hospital stay and blood markers also showed no meaningful differences; the small, single-center study offers no support for starting or encouraging alcohol use after surgery.
- Journal
- World journal of urology (Q1)
- Published
- 28 October 2026
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Evidence level
- Level 1, High (CEBM 1b)
- Authors
- Umberto Capitanio, Giuseppe Basile, Cristina Barrasso, Alexandra Derevianko, Giacomo Musso, Francesco Cei, et al.
- PMID
- 42955358
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00345-026-06890-4
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Urology (top studies of the week, 1 November 2026): Post‑op red wine RCT, recovery metrics
Abstract
BACKGROUND: To date, no prospective randomized study has evaluated whether controlled postoperative red wine intake, compared with abstinence, affects recovery in habitual wine drinkers undergoing surgery. METHODS: In this single-center randomized controlled trial (NCT05261620), habitual wine drinkers scheduled for elective urological surgery were randomized 1:1 to abstinence from alcohol (Control Arm) or standardized red wine intake (150 mL of 13% v/v red wine with lunch and with dinner) from postoperative day 1 to day 30 (Experimental Arm). The primary endpoint was the between-group difference in change from baseline to 30 days in the SF-36 Mental Health Index (MHI). Secondary endpoints included postoperative complications, hospital readmission, length of hospitalization, blood parameters, and oxidative stress markers. RESULTS: The mean change in MHI was - 0.6 in the Control Arm and + 0.7 in the Experimental Arm (difference 1.3 points; 95% CI - 1.9 to 4.6; p = 0.4). Overall complications (16.1% vs. 9.8%; p = 0.4), length of hospital stay and 30-day readmissions (8.1% vs. 0%; p = 0.06) did not differ significantly between the Control and Experimental Arms, respectively. Blood parameters and oxidative stress markers showed no clinically relevant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Among predominantly older male habitual wine drinkers undergoing elective urological surgery, controlled postoperative red wine intake did not improve 30-day quality of life compared with abstinence. Complications and blood parameters did not differ meaningfully. These findings do not support the initiation or promotion of alcohol use. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05261620, registered on 02/20/2022. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05261620 ).
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.