title: Alcohol and/or benzodiazepine use in injured road users.
abstract: Blood samples of all patients (269) involved in a traffic accident and admitted to the Emergency Room of the University Hospital of Trauma Surgery in Innsbruck were analysed for alcohol and benzodiazepines. The large majority were drivers (55%) followed by passengers (19.7%), cyclists (12.6%) and pedestrians (12.3%). Alcohol was obviously the most commonly found drug in all groups (drivers: 36.9%; passengers: 15.1%; cyclists: 29.4%; pedestrians: 18.2%), with a mean BAC (blood alcohol concentration) high above the legal limit at the time of the study in Austria of 0.8 g/l (drivers: 1.49 +/- 54 g/l; passengers: 1.52 +/- 71 g/l; cyclists: 1.72 +/- 51 g/l; pedestrians: 1.67 +/- 25 g/l). The percentage of alcohol users was highest in drivers. Concerning BAC levels no significant differences were found between the groups. The most commonly detected benzodiazepine was diazepam. Benzodiazepine consumption (drivers: 8.1%; passengers: 5.7%; cyclists: 8.8%; pedestrians: 3%) as well as plasma levels (drivers: 68.7 +/- 62.6 microg/l; passengers: 61.0 +/- 69.3 microg/l; cyclists: 135.7 +/- 118.3 microg/l; pedestrians: 18 microg/l) were nearly equal in all groups. Concerning alcohol or benzodiazepine use, females showed lower frequencies of both alcohol and benzodiazepine positive blood samples. The frequency of alcohol use was higher in patients <or= 60 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Innsbruck University Clinics, Department of Biological Psychiatry, Innsbruck, Austria. ilsemarie.kurzthaler@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: Ilsemarie
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kurzthaler
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wambacher
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Golser
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sperner
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sperner-Unterweger
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haidekker
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavlic
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kemmler
authors.forename: W Wolfgang
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Fleischhacker
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014947:Wounds and Injuries
chemical_list: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines