Does Alcohol Intoxication Alter the Assessment and Outcome of Observation-Status Trauma Patients?
McCadams JS, et al Am Surg 2001;67(11):1110 BACKGROUND: The evaluation of intoxicated trauma patients may be difficult, and such patients are often admitted for observation even when no significant trauma is initially identified based on the perception that they are at high risk for missed injuries. METHODS: This retrospective study from the University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville compared outcomes in intoxicated and sober trauma patients who were admitted for observation only. The intoxicated group included 66 patients with a blood alcohol level (BAL) of 80 mg/dl or higher (mean 218 mg/dl) with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 15 and a negative urine drug screen without known injuries requiring hospitalization beyond 24 hours. The unintoxicated group consisted of 160 patients with single-system injuries and a GCS of 15 who were admitted for inpatient observation. RESULTS: There were no differences between the groups in mean age or mean Injury Severity Score (5.3 and 6.5
