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CAGE questionnaire

Four rapid questions to screen for alcohol abuse or dependence over the lifetime, validated in Portuguese by Masur and Monteiro.

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Check the population, units and version. The result shows the formula or classification; it does not make an automatic treatment decision.

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Method · Limits of application

CAGE/Ewing 1984: 4 binary questions, 0–4, cutoff≥2; Portuguese Masur–Monteiro 1983

A brief questionnaire screening for alcohol problems, followed by clinical assessment. The cited Brazilian validation involved men hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital; its performance must not be presumed identical in other populations. That cohort’s composition is not a universal sex-based exclusion rule.

Conditions of use

Check the population, units, inclusion and exclusion criteria, and version in the original source. A result alone does not establish a diagnosis, discharge decision or prescription.

Documented parameters

C – Have you ever felt you should cut down on drinking or stop drinking?
A – Do people annoy you by criticizing your drinking?
G – Do you feel guilty about the way you usually drink?
E – Do you usually drink in the morning to reduce nervousness or a hangover?

3/3 reference cases checked. Numerical tests are not clinical validation.

Sources and documentation

Documented formula

Transcribed from the source or a recorded revision; this is not a clinical recommendation.

One point per answer “yes”: Cut down (cutting down), Annoyed (annoyed by criticism), Guilty (guilt), Eye-opener (drinking on waking). Cutoff: ≥ 2.

References

Identifier: cage

Original clinical content: Brazilian Portuguese.

Method version

CAGE/Ewing 1984: 4 binary questions, 0–4, cutoff≥2; Portuguese Masur–Monteiro 1983

cage@native-2026-10-03+bff1bee64479

Source for the active edition

The bibliographic edition identifies the source. By itself, it proves neither full conformity of the formula nor clinical approval.

Synthetic cases checked (3)

Synthetic cases for checking the implementation, with no patient data.

Case 1

reference-001

Inputs

C – Have you ever felt you should cut down on drinking or stop drinking?: No
A – Do people annoy you by criticizing your drinking?: No
G – Do you feel guilty about the way you usually drink?: No
E – Do you usually drink in the morning to reduce nervousness or a hangover?: No

{
  "c": false,
  "a": false,
  "g": false,
  "e": false
}

Expected result

{
  "score": 0,
  "level": "low"
}

Actual result

{
  "score": 0
}

Case 2

reference-002

Inputs

C – Have you ever felt you should cut down on drinking or stop drinking?: Yes
A – Do people annoy you by criticizing your drinking?: No
G – Do you feel guilty about the way you usually drink?: No
E – Do you usually drink in the morning to reduce nervousness or a hangover?: No

{
  "c": true,
  "a": false,
  "g": false,
  "e": false
}

Expected result

{
  "score": 1,
  "level": "mid"
}

Actual result

{
  "score": 1
}

Case 3

reference-003

Inputs

C – Have you ever felt you should cut down on drinking or stop drinking?: Yes
A – Do people annoy you by criticizing your drinking?: Yes
G – Do you feel guilty about the way you usually drink?: Yes
E – Do you usually drink in the morning to reduce nervousness or a hangover?: No

{
  "c": true,
  "a": true,
  "g": true,
  "e": false
}

Expected result

{
  "score": 3,
  "level": "high",
  "verdict": "positivo"
}

Actual result

{
  "score": 3
}

Code and reproducibility

This tool’s code on GitHub

Download code and tests

Sources, version and reproduction instructions

The code tests are technical checks. Clinical approval and professional translation review are recorded separately.

Relationship with cancer research

General context — relationship to be defined

A resource for general clinical contexts. This edition does not assign a specific oncological relationship; selecting it for a study requires a justified question, population and purpose.