Traumatic brain injury and alcohol intoxication: effects on injury patterns and short-term outcome

A significant number of patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are diagnosed with elevated blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Recent literature suggests a neuroprotective effect of alcohol on TBI, possibly associated with less morbidity and mortality. Our goal is to analyze the association of different levels of BAC with TBI characteristics and outcome.

Adult patients with moderate to severe TBI (AIS ≥ 2) and measured BAC admitted to the Trauma Centre West (TCW), during the period 2010-2015, were retrospectively analyzed. Data included injury severity (AIS), length of hospitalization, admittance to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and in-hospital mortality. The association of BAC with ICU admittance and in-hospital mortality was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analysis with correction for potentially confounding variables.

BACs were available in 2,686 patients of whom 42% had high, 26% moderate, 6% low and 26% had normal levels. Patients with high BAC's were predominantly male, were younger, had lower ISS scores, lower AIS-head scores and less concomitant injuries compared to patients in the other BAC subgroups. High BACs were associated with a lower risk for in-hospital mortality (AOR 0.36, 95% CI 0.14-0.97). Also, patients with moderate and high BACs were less often admitted to the ICU (respectively, AOR 0.36, 95% CI 0.25-0.52 and AOR 0.40, 95% CI 0.29-0.57).

The current study suggests that in patients with moderate to severe TBI, increasing BACs are associated with less severe TBI, less ICU admissions and a higher survival. Further research into the pathophysiological mechanism is necessary to help explain these findings.