[Injuries of the cervical segment of the spinal cord in alcoholic intoxication. Preliminary report]

The clinical documentation of 777 patients treated for traumatic injury of the cervical spinal cord has been analyzed. A comparison of consequences of accidents, neurologic and functional results of treatment in two groups of patients: admitted for treatment while being drunk and sober, has been presented. There were 246 intoxicated persons (32 per cent of the patients) in the analyzed group. An analysis of the data has indicated a smaller degree of spinal cord injury and better neurologic and functional results in patients that were not intoxicated by alcohol on admission. A statistic analysis (chi-square test)has shown that the quoted relationships have a high degree of probability. The authors have criticized incomplete documentation in previously used preliminary examination charts and have introduced a modified examination chart including data about the degree of a patient's sobriety.