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Chronic Intermittent Ethanol Vapor Exposure Paired with Two-Bottle Choice to Model Alcohol Use Disorder
Published on: June 23, 2023
Alcohol and trauma--in every age group
Terry Kowalenko1, Bradford Burgess, Susanna M Szpunar
1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA. terryk@med.umich.edu
The American Journal of Emergency Medicine
|February 6, 2013
Summary
Alcohol-positive trauma patients show higher injury severity across all ages. While younger adults (21-39) had lower mortality, older adults (40+) experienced increased mortality, suggesting alcohol testing is crucial for all trauma patients.
Area of Science:
- Trauma research
- Toxicology
- Public health
Background:
- Alcohol consumption is prevalent in trauma patients.
- Understanding alcohol's impact on trauma outcomes is critical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of alcohol-positive (AlcPos) trauma patients across different age demographics.
- To investigate the association between alcohol positivity and mortality in trauma patients.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the National Trauma Data Bank (version 6.2) for data extraction.
- Analyzed variables including age, alcohol presence, Injury Severity Score (ISS), and discharge status.
- Employed logistic regression analysis with age-defined groups.
Main Results:
- 28% of tested trauma patients were alcohol-positive (AlcPos).
- AlcPos prevalence peaked at age 22 and declined with age.
- AlcPos patients had higher Injury Severity Scores (ISS) and varied mortality risks by age group.
Conclusions:
- Alcohol positivity is linked to greater injury severity in trauma patients of all ages.
- AlcPos trauma patients aged 40 and older face increased mortality.
- Recommends alcohol testing for all trauma patient age groups.
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