Outcomes in EMS-transported attendees from events at a large indoor arena.
OBJECTIVE
Many emergency departments (EDs) receive patients from concert or other mass gathering events. The study objective was to determine whether routine emergency medical services (EMS) transport to a hospital from an indoor arena facility is warranted.


METHODS
Retrospective review of transport medical records from an approximately 20,000-seat arena in a major metropolitan area from January 1, 1998, to June 30, 1999. Outcomes studied included inpatient admission rate, diagnoses, treatments, and length of ED stay.


RESULTS
The authors reviewed 96 patients transported from 29 separate concert or professional wrestling events. The mean age was 23.2 years (SD, 10.4 yr). Only three patients (3.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65%-8.9%) required inpatient admission. The mean length of stay in the ED was 158 minutes (95% CI, 132-185). Thirty-one percent of the patients had diagnoses of alcohol or drug use; trauma accounted for 33%; and medical reasons represented 35% of transports. Alcohol and/or drug cases stayed in the ED 207 minutes (mean), which was 59% longer than trauma cases (130 min) and 47% longer than the 141 minutes for medical cases (p = 0.007). Rock concerts had 45% alcohol/drug-related cases versus 22% for pop concerts and 0% for professional wrestling events (p = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients transported from indoor arena events rarely result in inpatient admissions. Alcohol- and drug-related problems were the primary diagnoses in 31% of these patients and required the most time in the ED. Rock concerts had more alcohol and drug cases than other events.
Chan
Shu B
SB
Resurrection Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Resurrection Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60631, USA. schan@reshealthcare.org
Quinn
James E
JE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000846:Anniversaries and Special Events; D004630:Emergencies / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D009146:Music; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011998:Recreation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013177:Sports; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population; D014600:Utilization Review; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology