Effect of Alcohol Ingestion on the Severity and Outcome in Trauma Patients.
- Author:
Yoon Hee CHOI
1
;
Gi Beom KIM
;
Dong Hoon LEE
;
Eun Kyung EO
;
Koo Young JUNG
;
Jun Sig KIM
;
Dong Wun SHIN
;
Sung Eun KIM
;
Mi Jin LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Korea. liz0803@ewha.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Alcohol;
Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS);
Injury Severity Score (ISS)
- MeSH:
Abbreviated Injury Scale;
Alcohol Drinking;
Drinking;
Eating*;
Emergency Service, Hospital;
Female;
Head;
Hematologic Tests;
Humans;
Injury Severity Score;
Intensive Care Units;
Male;
Mortality;
Prospective Studies;
Violence
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2006;17(3):231-237
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Although alcohol is frequently present in injury patients, whether it exacerbates injury and whether tolerance to alcohol changes such a relationship is less clear. We investigated alcohol's role in injury and the effect of alcohol on the severity of injury. METHODS: This prospective study was performed from July 20, 2004, to October 20, 2004, at five university hospital emergency departments (ED). We studied trauma patients, excluding pediatric patients (15 year old and under), alcohol consumption over the 6 hours prior to visiting the ED and continuous drinking after injury. Patients were screened by blood tests for the presence of alcohol and were classified into two groups by alcohol consumption. The injury severity was measured by using the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and the Injury Severity Score (ISS). RESULTS: The study enrolled 361 injured patients, of whom 105 were intoxicated and 256 were not intoxicated. Alcohol consumption was significantly larger in males than in females and in cases involving violence. The injury severities were not correlated with alcohol consumption significantly between intoxicated patients and not intoxicated patients. were not significantly different. However, the number of days in the intensive care unit and the mortality correlated with alcohol consumption. In patients with severe injuries (ISS> or =15, AIS> or =3), alcohol consumption was correlated with severity of the injury. CONCLUSION: Alcohol intoxication is not associated with injury severity. But in patients with severe injuries (ISS> or =15, head AIS> or =3), alcohol consumption was correlated with injury severity.
