The 12 -year evolution of emergency department alcohol-related admissions in a student city

To investigate the trends in incidence of alcohol-intoxicated patients who present at the emergency department (ED), as well as the characteristics of these patients.

Retrospective observational study based on data collected from 2008 until 2019 in two EDs in Leuven, Belgium. As a routine ED procedure, a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test is ordered for all patients suspected of alcohol use as a primary presenting sign. Patients older than 10 years of age with a BAC ≥ 0.1 g/L were included. BAC levels, age, gender and proportion of repeat admissions were analysed.

The absolute number of patients with a positive BAC test increased from 1260 in 2008 to 1908 in 2019 (51.4%). Male-to-female ratio remained stable (2:1). In the University Hospital Leuven , the most represented age group shifted from 20-29 and 40-49 year olds (2008) to 50-59 year olds (2019). The most common age groups in Heilig Hart Leuven were 10-19 year olds and 20-29 year olds, which remained stable over the study period. The readmission rate was 18% within the entire study period with a range of 2 to 46 times.

Our study showed an annual increase in alcohol-related admissions. The highest rates of alcohol-related ED visits occurred in the age group 50-59. Patients with a repeat admission accounted for a large number of the total alcohol-related visits, placing a major burden on our healthcare system. It will be a challenge to timely detect patients at risk, regardless of their age, to prevent future ED admissions.