Use of blood alcohol concentration in resuscitation room patients.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the use of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in the emergency department resuscitation room, by comparing it with a subsequent alcohol questionnaire and by surveying patients' attitudes to BAC testing.


METHODS
Observational study.


METHODS
273 resuscitation room patients at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington between August 2005 and February 2006.


METHODS
BAC comparison to questionnaire results, and attitudes to BAC testing.


RESULTS
The level of agreement between positive screening by questionnaire and a BAC of >80 mg/100 ml was low (kappa = 0.29, 95% confidence interval 0.12 to 0.46) because each test measures different aspects of drinking. Patients accepted the use of BAC tests in detecting alcohol use, though a small minority reported concerns over confidentiality.


CONCLUSIONS
Use of BAC testing complements later questionnaire screening to identify alcohol misuse in patients initially brought to the emergency department resuscitation room, providing results are fed back to the patient. Potential ethical, judicial and insurance concerns should not prevent the use of BAC when judged to be in the patient's best interest.
Csipke
Emese
E
Accident and Emergency Department, St Mary's Hospital, Praed Street, London, UK.
Touquet
Robin
R
Patel
Tim
T
Franklin
James
J
Brown
Adrian
A
Holloway
Paul
P
Batrick
Nicola
N
Crawford
Michael J
MJ
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000431:Ethanol