Alcohol exposure, injury, and death in trauma patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The association of alcohol use with in-hospital trauma deaths remains unclear. This study identifies the association of blood alcohol content (BAC) with in-hospital death accounting for injury severity and mechanism.

Methods

This study involves a historical cohort of 46,222 admissions to a statewide trauma center between January 1, 2002, and October 31, 2011. Blood alcohol was evaluated as an ordinal variable: 1 mg/dL to 100 mg/dL as moderate blood alcohol, 101 mg/dL to 230 mg/dL as high blood alcohol, and greater than 230 mg/dL as very high blood alcohol.

Results

Blood alcohol was recorded in 44,502 patients (96.3%). Moderate blood alcohol was associated with an increased odds for both penetrating mechanism (odds ratio [OR], 2.22; 95% confidence interval [

SUBMITTER: Afshar M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4582442 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature