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Current research suggests that Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM)-IV alcohol abuse and dependence form a unidimensional continuum in emergency department (ED) patients in 4 countries: Argentina, Mexico, Poland, and the United States. In this continuum of alcohol use disorder (AUD), there are no clear-cut distinctions between the criteria for dependence and abuse in the severity dimension based on prior results from item response theory (IRT) analysis. Nevertheless, it is desirable to find a threshold for identifying cases for clinical practice and cut-points of clinical utility in this continuum to distinguish between patients more or less affected by an AUD, using a scale of symptoms count. Data from 5,193 patients in 7 ED sites in the same 4 countries (3,191 current drinkers) were used to study the structure, threshold, and possible cut-points for the diagnoses of AUD. The proposed changes in the DSM-V, dropping the abuse item 'legal problems' and adding an item on 'craving,' did not impact the IRT performance and unidimensionality of AUD in this sample. With a total set of 11 items (deleting 'legal problems' and adding 'craving' to the current set of DSM criteria), an endorsement of 2 or more criteria can be used as the threshold to define those with an AUD in clinical practice. Furthermore, we can distinguish at least 2 levels of clinical severity, 2 to 3 criteria (moderate), and 4 or more criteria (severe). A dimensional approach to AUD using the proposed new set of criteria for the DSM-V can be used to propose a threshold and levels of severity. More research in different populations and countries is needed to further substantiate a threshold and cut-points that could be used in new formulations of substance use disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]