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Toxicology screening in adolescent trauma
S Gordon1, W C Toepper, S C Blackman
1Division of General Academic and Emergency Pediatrics, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
Pediatric Emergency Care
|February 1, 1996
Summary
A quarter of adolescent trauma patients screened positive for alcohol or illicit drugs. Study findings suggest selective drug screening is not supported due to lack of association with patient factors.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Toxicology
- Adolescent Health
Background:
- Major trauma in adolescents presents unique challenges in emergency care.
- Understanding substance use prevalence is crucial for effective treatment and prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of positive drug screens among adolescent victims of major trauma.
- To identify factors associated with positive drug screens in this population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 125 adolescent patients with major trauma at an inner-city trauma center.
- Urine toxicology screens for alcohol and illicit drugs were administered to 85 patients (68%).
Main Results:
- Twenty-one of the screened adolescent patients (25%) had positive urine drug screens.
- Alcohol, cocaine, and opiates were the most frequently detected substances.
- No significant association was found between positive drug screens and demographic or clinical variables (gender, race, injury mechanism, mental status, injury severity, revised trauma score).
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion (25%) of screened adolescent trauma patients tested positive for alcohol or illicit drugs.
- The lack of association with study variables indicates that selective drug screening based on these factors is not advisable.