Scott H. Stewart MD, MS
Scott H. Stewart
MD, MS
Clinical Associate Professor
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Addictions; Family Medicine; Internal Medicine
Contact Information
Patient Care
Patient Care
This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.
View this physician on UBMDProfessional Summary:
I am a member of the Section of Addiction Medicine in the Department of Family Medicine, which consists of a team of dedicated professionals providing exceptional acute and chronic care for adolescents and adults suffering from substance use problems and associated conditions. My own work involves serving as the Medical Director of an opioid treatment program (methadone maintenance for opioid use disorder) in Buffalo, and Medical Director of a rehabilitation and residential program for adolescents and adults up to the age of 26.
I have been extensively engaged in research on alcoholism and alcohol-related disease, including the detection and treatment of these commonly encountered conditions in medical settings. Alcohol-related problems are often unrecognized due to a lack of specific diagnostic testing or simply not linking heavy drinking to problems that are not always or not usually alcohol-related (e.g., high blood pressure). If alcohol is recognized as a problem, tools to treat alcoholism have not typically been adapted for primary care nor have many physicians received specific training in managing alcoholism.
With past support of the National Institutes of Health and other organizations, I have conducted cutting-edge research on the assessment and treatment of patients with alcohol-related disease using brief counseling methods and medications that are appropriate for primary care practices. I have also been involved in studying the use of novel laboratory tests for detecting unhealthy drinking patterns and alcohol-related organ damage.
My goal as a clinical researcher is to provide tools that enable physicians to provide care for alcohol and substance related disorders as they do for other chronic diseases such as diabetes and high cholesterol. This includes the use of laboratory tests to monitor control of the disease, guide the use of medications and brief counseling in busy medical settings, and determine the need for more intensive treatment or referral to addiction specialists.
Education and Training:
- Fellowship, General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, Medical University of South Carolina (2001)
- MS, Clinical Research, Medical University of South Carolina (2001)
- Residency, Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (1996)
- MD, Medicine, Temple University (1993)
- BS, Chemistry, Geneva College (1987)
Employment:
- Associate Professor, Family Medicine, University at Buffalo (2018-present)
- Family Medicine Physician, UBMD Family Medicine (2018-present)
- Medical Director, Drug Abuse Research and Treatment (DART) Program (2018-present)
- Medical Director of Renaissance Campus, BestSelf Behavioral Health (2018-present)
- Physician, Horizon Health Services (2018–2022)
- Associate Professor, Medicine, University at Buffalo (2012–2018)
- General Internist, UBMD Internal Medicine (2012–2018)
- Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina (2006–2012)
- Medical Consultant, Institute of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina (2006–2012)
- Assistant Professor, Medicine, University at Buffalo (2001–2006)
- General Internist, UBMD Internal Medicine (2001–2006)
- General Internist, LA Internal Medicine Associates (1996–1999)
Awards and Honors:
- Outstanding Reviewer Award for Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (ACER) (2017)
- White Coat Award (2016)
- Steven H. Noyes, MD Memorial Award (2016)
Research Expertise:
- Alcoholism and alcohol related disease: Detection of alcoholism and alcohol-related diseases in medical and surgical settings. Treatment of alcohol dependence using methods appropriate for primary care settings. Validation of biomarkers for unhealthy drinking and early alcohol-related disease. Clinical epidemiology of alcohol and alcohol-related disease.
Grants and Sponsored Research:
- January 2018–June 2023
Buffalo Primary Care Champion Program in Addiction Medicine and Population Health
Health Resources and Services Administration
Role: Principal Investigator - January 2014–December 2015
Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program
NY State Department of Health
Role: Principal Investigator
$150,000 - September 2009–August 2013
Phosphatidylethanol as an alcohol biomarker in patients with liver disease (AA017911)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH)
Role: Principal Investigator - May 2004–April 2009
Alcohol Dependence in General Medical Settings (AA014188)
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIH)
Role: Principal Investigator
Journal Articles:
- Hahn JA, Murnane PM, Vittinghoff E, Muyindike WR, Emenyonu NI, Fatch R, Chamie G, Haberer JE, Francis JM, Kapiga S, Jacobson K, Myers B, Couture MC, DiClemente RJ, Brown JL, So-Armah K, Sulkowski M, Marcus GM, Woolf-King S, Cook RL, Richards VL, Molina P, Ferguson T, Welsh D, Piano MR, Phillips SA, Stewart S, Afshar M, Page K, McGinnis K, Fiellin DA, Justice AC, Bryant K, Saitz R. (2021) Factors associated with phosphatidylethanol (PEth) sensitivity for detecting unhealthy alcohol use: An individual patient data meta-analysis. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Jun), 45(6): 1166-87. doi:10.1111/acer.14611
- Stewart SH, Walitzer KS, Blanco J, Swiatek D, Paine Hughes L, Quinones-Lombrana A, Shyhalla K. (2019) Medication-enhanced behavior therapy for alcohol use disorder: Naltrexone, Alcoholics Anonymous Facilitation, and OPRM1 genetic variation. J Subst Abuse Treat (Sep), 104: 7-14. doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2019.05.004
- Yedlapati SH, Stewart SH. (2018) Predictors of Alcohol Withdrawal Readmissions. Alcohol Alcohol (Jul), 53(4): 448-52. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agy024
- Kehayes IL, Mackinnon SP, Sherry SB, Leonard KE, Stewart SH. (2017) Similarity in romantic couples' drinking motivations and drinking behaviors. Subst Abus (Oct), 38(4): 488-92. doi:10.1080/08897077.2017.1355869
- Mackinnon SP, Kehayes IL, Leonard KE, Fraser R, Stewart SH. (2017) Perfectionistic Concerns, Social Negativity, and Subjective Well-Being: A Test of the Social Disconnection Model. J Pers (Jun), 85(3): 326-40. doi:10.1111/jopy.12243
- Bartel SJ, Sherry SB, Molnar DS, Mushquash AR, Leonard KE, Flett GL, Stewart SH. (2017) Do romantic partners influence each other's heavy episodic drinking? Support for the partner influence hypothesis in a three-year longitudinal study. Addict Behav (Jun), 69: 55-8. doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.01.020
- Stewart SH, Reuben A, Anton RF. (2017) Relationship of Abnormal Chromatographic Pattern for Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin with Severe Liver Disease. Alcohol Alcohol (Jan), 52(1): 24-8. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agw069
- Diaz Del Carpio RO, Stewart SH. (2016) Association between Social Determinants of Health and Glycemic Control in an Inner City Primary Care Population. Social Medicine (Oct), 10(3): 93-8.
- Yedlapati SH, Mendu A, Stewart SH. (2016) Alcohol-related diagnoses and increased mortality in acute myocardial infarction patients: An analysis of the nationwide inpatient sample. J Hosp Med (Aug), 11(8): 563-7. doi:10.1002/jhm.2584
- Stewart SH, Koch DG, Willner IR, Anton RF, Reuben A. (2014) Validation of blood phosphatidylethanol as an alcohol consumption biomarker in patients with chronic liver disease. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Jun), 38(6): 1706-11. doi:10.1111/acer.12442
- Makdissi R, Stewart SH. (2013) Care for hospitalized patients with unhealthy alcohol use: a narrative review. Addict Sci Clin Pract (Jun), 8(1): 11. doi:10.1186/1940-0640-8-11
- Stewart SH, Koch DG, Willner IR, Randall PK, Reuben A. (2013) Hair ethyl glucuronide is highly sensitive and specific for detecting moderate-to-heavy drinking in patients with liver disease. Alcohol Alcohol (Jan), 48(1): 83-7. doi:10.1093/alcalc/ags109
- Stewart SH, Koch DG, Burgess DM, Willner IR, Reuben A. (2013) Sensitivity and specificity of urinary ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in liver disease patients. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Jan), 37(1): 150-5. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01855.x
- Book SW, Thomas SE, Stewart SH, Miller PM. (2012) Client attitudes toward alcohol use self-report. Subst Abuse (Jan), 33(2): 124-9. doi:10.1080/00221341.2011.630941
- Miller PM, Book SW, Stewart SH. (2011) Medical treatment of alcohol dependence: a systematic review. Int J Psychiatry Med (Jan), 42(3): 227-66. doi:10.2190/PM.42.3.b
- Stewart SH, Comte-Walters S, Bowen E, Anton RF. (2010) Liver disease and HPLC quantification of disialotransferrin for heavy alcohol use: a case series. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Nov), 34(11): 1956-60. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01285.x
- Stewart SH, Borg KT, Miller PM. (2010) Prevalence of problem drinking and characteristics of a single question screen. J Emerg Med (Sep), 39(3): 291-5. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2007.11.045
- Stewart SH, Doscher A, Miles S, Borg KT. (2010) Identification and risk-stratification of problem alcohol drinkers with minor trauma in the emergency department. West J Emerg Med (May), 11(2): 133-7.
- Stewart SH, Law TL, Randall PK, Newman R. (2010) Phosphatidylethanol and alcohol consumption in reproductive-age women. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Mar), 34(3): 488-92. doi:10.1111/j.1530-0277.2009.01113.x
- Stewart SH, Reuben A, Brzezinski WA, Koch DG, Basile J, Randall PK, Miller PM. (2009) Preliminary evaluation of phosphatidylethanol and alcohol consumption in patients with liver disease and hypertension. Alcohol Alcohol (Sep), 44(5): 464-7. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agp039
- Anton RF, Randall PK, Myrick L, Latham PK, Baros A, Stewart SH, Malcolm RJ. (2009) Efficacy of a combination of flumazenil and gabapentin in the treatment of alcohol dependence: Relationship to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. J Clin Psychopharmacol (Aug), 29(4): 334-42. doi:10.1097/JCP.0b013e3181aba6a4
- Stewart SH, Oroszi G, Randall PK, Anton RF. (2009) COMT genotype influences the effect of alcohol on blood pressure: results from the COMBINE study. Am J Hypertens (Jan), 22(1): 87-91. doi:10.1038/ajh.2008.321
- Stewart SH, Latham PK, Randall P, Miller PM, Anton RF. (2008) Blood pressure reduction during treatment for alcohol dependence: results from the Combining Medications and Behavioral Interventions for Alcoholism (COMBINE) study. Addiction (Oct), 103(10): 1622-8. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02317.x
- Stewart SH, Connors GJ. (2007) Perceived health status, alcohol-related problems, and readiness to change among medically hospitalized, alcohol-dependent patients. J Hosp Med (Nov), 2(6): 372-7. doi:10.1002/jhm.211
- Stewart SH, Connors GJ. (2007) Ethnicity, alcohol drinking and changes in transaminase activity among heavy drinkers. J Natl Med Assoc (May), 99(5): 564-9.
- Janicki T, Stewart S. (2007) Stress-ulcer prophylaxis for general medical patients: a review of the evidence. J Hosp Med (Mar), 2(2): 86-92. doi:10.1002/jhm.177
- Stewart SH, Miller PM. (2007) Detecting alcohol use disorders in recently hospitalized persons: results from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions. J Addict Med (Mar), 1(1): 40-3. doi:10.1097/ADM.0b013e31804a3a07
- Stewart SH, Miller PM. (2007) Detection and Treatment of Alcohol-Induced Hypertension. Current Hypertension Reviews (Jan), 3(2): 119-27. doi:10.2174/157340207780598437
- Stewart SH, Connors GJ, Hutson A. (2007) Ethnicity and gamma-glutamyltransferase in men and women with alcohol use disorders. Alcohol Alcohol (Jan), 42(1): 24-7. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agl090
- Stewart SH. (2007) Alcoholics in acute medical settings have increased risk for other drug, mood, and personality disorders. Int J Psychiatry Med (Jan), 37(1): 59-67. doi:10.2190/E075-04TK-2N6J-1RH5
- Stewart SH, Connors GJ. (2007) Interest in pharmacotherapy and primary care alcoholism treatment among medically hospitalized, alcohol dependent patients. J Addict Dis (Jan), 26(2): 63-9. doi:10.1300/J069v26n02_08
- Stewart SH, Hutson A, Connors GJ. (2006) Exploration of the relationship between drinking intensity and quality of life. Am J Addict (Sep), 15(5): 356-61. doi:10.1080/10550490600860122
- Stewart SH, Connors GJ. (2004) Screening for alcohol problems: what makes a test effective?. Alcohol Res Health (Jan), 28(1): 5-16.
- Stewart SH. (2003) Alcohol use and cardiovascular disease preventive services. J Cardiovasc Risk (Jun), 10(3): 221-5. doi:10.1097/01.hjr.0000065930.57001.d2
- Stewart SH. (2003) Patterns of Alcohol Use and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the US Population. Alcohol Research (Jan), 8(3): 112-6.
- Stewart SH, Mainous AG, Gilbert G. (2002) Relation between alcohol consumption and C-reactive protein levels in the adult US population. J Am Board Fam Pract (Nov), 15(6): 437-42.
- Stewart SH, Stewart S. (2002) Racial and ethnic differences in alcohol-associated aspartate aminotransferaseand gamma-glutamyltransferase elevation. Arch Intern Med (Oct), 162(19): 2236-9. doi:10.1001/archinte.162.19.2236
- Stewart SH, Silverstein MD. (2002) Racial and ethnic disparity in blood pressure and cholesterol measurement. J Gen Intern Med (Jun), 17(6): 405-11. doi:10.1046/j.1525-1497.2002.10524.x
- Stewart SH, Stewart S. (2002) Alcohol and inflammation: a possible mechanism for protection against ischemicheart disease. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis (Jun), 12(3): 148-51.
Books and Book Chapters:
- Stewart SH. (2016) Phosphatidylethanol and alcohol use in liver disease patients. In: Biomarkers in Disease: Methods, Discoveries and Applications. Springer
- Stewart SH, Goldmann A, Neumann T, Spies C. (2010) Biomarkers of alcohol and other drug use. In: Addiction Research Methods. Blackwell Publishing
- Stewart SH. (2009) Dependence and diagnosis. In: Evidence-Based Addiction Treatment. Academic Press
- Stewart SH, Miller PM. (2007) Alcohol screening and intervention in medical and surgical settings. In: Translation of Addictions Science into Practice. Elsevier
- Connors GJ, Stewart SH. (2004) Alcoholism, substance abuse, and prescription drug abuse. In: Handbook of Primary Care Psychology. Oxford University Press
Professional Memberships:
- American College of Physicians
- American Society of Addiction Medicine
- International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism
- Research Society on Alcoholism
- Society of General Internal Medicine
Presentations:
- "Multi-study analyses of phosphatidylethanol (PETH) results among heavy drinkers suggest biological correlates of PETH positivity." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2020)
- "Use of alcohol consumption biomarkers in liver disease patients." Alcoholic Hepatitis Study Group, Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2018)
- "Biomarkers for Managing AUD: Formation, Elimination, and Clinical Considerations." Annual Meeting, American Society of Addiction Medicine (2018)
- "Phosphatidylethanol Level as a Predictor of Acute Alcohol Withdrawal." Annual Meeting, Society of Hospital Medicine (2018)
- "Predictors of alcohol withdrawal readmissions. Early career abstract showcase." Annual Meeting, American College of Physicians (2017)
- "Alcohol-related diagnoses are associated with high mortality in patients with peripheral vascular disease." Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology/Peripheral Vascular Disease Scientific Sessions, American Heart Association (2016)
- "Association between direct alcohol consumption biomarkers and benzodiazepines during alcohol-related hospitalization." Annual Meeting, Society of General Internal Medicine (2016)
- "The flipped classroom: Basic QI training for residents." Annual Meeting, Society of General Internal Medicine (2016)
- "Association between social support and BMI in Type 2 diabetics." Annual Meeting, American College of Preventive Medicine (2016)
- "Alcohol-Related Conditions, Mechanisms, and Detection of Risky Drinking." Medicine City-Wide Grand Rounds, University at Buffalo (2016)
- "Acute kidney injury is associated with high mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation." Annual Meeting, American Heart Association (2015)
- "New standards and uses of CDT alone or with PEth for the detection of alcohol use in clinical trials and practice." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2015)
- "Impact of obesity on mortality from alcoholic hepatitis." Digestive Disease Week (2015)
- "Association between neighborhood social support and quality of diabetes care." Annual Meeting, Society of General Internal Medicine (2015)
- "A Tale of Two Cities: The Example of Research and Practice for Excessive Alcohol Use." Medicine City-Wide Grand Rounds, University at Buffalo (2014)
- "Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Hospitalized Patients." Saturday CME Series, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo (2014)
- "Blood phosphatidylethanol vs. hair ethyl glucuronide in patients with chronic liver disease." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2013)
- "Structured resident feedback improves the quality of documentation: A randomized controlled trial." Department of Medicine Annual Research Day, University at Buffalo (2013)
- "Detecting and Treating Unhealthy Alcohol Use in the Hospital." Medicine Grand Rounds, Erie County Medical Center (2013)
- "Alcohol use and hospitalization: Patterns and relapse prevention." Medicine Grand Rounds, Buffalo General Hospital (2013)
- "Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Hospitalized Patients." Medicine City-Wide Grand Rounds, University at Buffalo (2013)
- "Testing for heavy drinking." Annual Meeting, American Council of Life Insurers (2012)
- "Naltrexone plus aripiprazole compared to naltrexone alone and placebo in the treatment of alcohol dependence- A double blind pilot study." Annual Meeting, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (2011)
- "Novel Alcohol Consumption Biomarkers." Psychiatry Grand Rounds, Georgia Health Sciences University (2011)
- "Novel Alcohol Consumption Biomarkers." Psychiatry Grand Rounds, Medical University of South Carolina (2010)
- "Liver disease and estimation of disialotransferrin." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2010)
- "Patient attitudes toward self-report and biomarker alcohol screening by mental health clinicians." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2010)
- "Phosphatidylethanol (PEth): Relationship to drinking during treatment for alcohol use disorders." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2010)
- "Is there a rapid and effective tool to differentiate between hazardous drinkers and alcohol dependent patients in the Emergency Department?" Annual Meeting, American College of Emergency Physicians (2008)
- "Alcohol consumption biomarkers for assessment and risk assessment." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism/International Society on Biomedical Research on Alcohol (2008)
- "Double blind controlled trial of flumazenil and gabapentin for the treatment of alcohol dependence." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2008)
- "Alcohol biomarkers." Team on Underage Drinking Research-Screening for Childhood and Adolescent Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorders Among Youth, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism/National Institutes of Health (2007)
- "Interest in pharmacotherapy and primary care treatment among medically hospitalized, alcohol dependent patients." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2006)
- "Relationships between drinking and quality of life indicators." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2005)
- "Alcohol and C-Reactive Protein." Medicine Grand Rounds, Erie County Medical Center (2004)
- "Association of alcohol consumption with C-reactive protein: Importance of lifetime abstinence." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2004)
- "Alcohol Use and Primary Care Utilization." Annual Meeting, Research Society on Alcoholism (2003)
- "Racial and Ethnic Differences in Alcohol-Associated Aspartate Transaminase Elevation." Annual Meeting, Society of General Internal Medicine (2002)
- "Poverty Level and Cardiovascular Screening in Younger Adults: an Analysis of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey." Annual Meeting, Society of General Internal Medicine (2000)
Service Activities:
- NIAAA; ZAA1 GG(50), NIH Special Emphasis Panel;; Grant Reviewer (2011–2012)
- Editoral board, Addiction Science and Clinical Practice; Editorial Board Member (2010–present)
- Risk Prevention and Health Behavior (NIH Challenge Grants);; Grant Reviewer (2009)
- Field reviewer, SAMHSA Treatment Improvement Protocol Series 49; Reviewer (2009)
- Editorial Consultant, Alcohol abuse module, Physicians' Information and Education Resource, American College of Physicians; Consultant (2007–2010)
- Peer review, > 20 professional journals; Peer Reviewer (2001–present)