title: Drug use in patients admitted to a university trauma center: results of limited (rather than comprehensive) toxicology screening.
abstract: The results of rapid toxicology screening of paired blood and urine samples from 936 patients admitted to a university trauma center during the calendar year 1988 were reviewed in order to determine the drugs detected by use of a relatively limited (rather than comprehensive) screening procedure and to define the demographic characteristics of the positive population. Of the 936 cases, 65% (610) were positive for one or more drugs: ethanol (436), cocaine and/or benzoylecgonine (164), sympathomimetic amines (142), phencyclidine (40), narcotic analgesics (36), salicylates (17), and barbiturates (9). Of the positive screens, 70% (426) demonstrated only one drug or parent drug/metabolite combination. Positives were obtained from 69% of men, 50% of women, 80% of American Indians, 75% of Blacks, 66% of Latins, 65% of Caucasians, 60% of undetermined race, and 38% of Orientals screened. The age group 21-40 years accounted for 69% of positives. Rapid, limited admission toxicology screening of trauma patients can still provide useful information.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of California Medical Center, San Diego 92103.
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D014193:Trauma Centers