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Ethanol abuse and the trauma patient
1Department of Surgery, University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington 98104-2499, USA. ronmaier@u.washington.edu
Surgical Infections
|February 22, 2003
Summary
Alcohol intoxication increases injury risk and recurrence. While its physiological effects on trauma outcomes are complex, identifying intoxicated individuals is crucial for targeted interventions to reduce future injuries.
Area of Science:
- Trauma research
- Injury epidemiology
- Alcohol's physiological effects
Background:
- Alcohol intoxication is linked to higher injury risk and repeat trauma.
- The impact of alcohol abuse on outcomes for a specific injury severity is less clear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the literature on alcohol's effects on injury risk, trauma recidivism, and patient outcomes.
- To understand the physiological and biochemical mechanisms through which alcohol influences trauma response.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive review of English-language literature pertinent to alcohol and trauma was conducted.
Main Results:
- Alcohol's vasodilatory properties may impede fluid resuscitation, particularly in head injuries.
- Both acute and chronic alcohol intoxication significantly affect cellular and molecular responses to infection.
- High alcohol concentrations can suppress proinflammatory cytokine production, but clinical impact varies in diverse trauma populations.
Conclusions:
- Alcohol significantly influences injury epidemiology, though individual physiological effects are unpredictable.
- Identifying intoxicated individuals is vital for implementing interventions that substantially reduce subsequent injury risk.