title: Alcohol intake and the pattern of trauma in young adults and working aged people admitted after trauma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship of different patterns of alcohol intake to various types of trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the associations of alcohol consumption in a series of 385 consecutive trauma admissions (278 men, 107 women, age range 16-49 years). Patients underwent clinical examinations, structured interviews on the amount and pattern of alcohol intake, and measurements of blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  On admission, 51% of the patients had alcohol in their blood. Binge drinking was the predominant (78%) drinking pattern of alcohol intake. Assaults, falls and biking accidents were the most frequent causes of trauma. Dependent alcohol drinking and binge drinking were found to be significantly more common among patients with head trauma than in those with other types of trauma (77% vs 59%, OR=2.38; 95% CI 1.50 to 3.77). The OR for sustaining head injury increased sharply with increasing BAC: 1-99 mg/dl (1.24; 95% CI 0.55-2.01), 100-149 mg/dl 1.64; 95% CI 0.71-3.77), 150-199 mg/dl (3.20; 95% CI 1.57-6.53) and >199 mg/dl (9.23; 95% CI 4.79-17.79).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Binge drinking is a major risk factor for head trauma among trauma patients. Assaults, falls and biking accidents are the commonest causes for such injuries. The relative risk for head injury markedly increases with increasing blood alcohol levels. Alcohol control measures should feature in policies aiming at the prevention of trauma-related morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland. olli.savola@oulu.fi
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Savola
authors.forename: Onni
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Niemelä
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hillbom
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000059:Accidents; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D014193:Trauma Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol