title: Support for blood alcohol screening in pediatric trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol intoxication in pediatric trauma is underappreciated. The aim of this study was to characterize alcohol screening rates in pediatric trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Los Angeles County Trauma System Database was queried for all patients aged ≤ 18 years who required admission between 2003 and 2008. Patients were compared by age and gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 18,598 patients met the inclusion criteria; 4,899 (26.3%) underwent blood alcohol screening, and 2,797 (57.1%) of those screened positive. Screening increased with age (3.3% for 0-9 years, 15.1% for 10-14 years, and 45.4% for 15-18 years; P < .01), as did alcohol intoxication (1.9% for 0-9 years, 5.8% 10-14 years, and 27.3% for 15-18 years; P < .01). Male gender predicted higher mortality in those aged 15 to 18 years (adjusted odds ratio, 1.7; P < .01), while alcohol intoxication did not (adjusted odds ratio, .97; P = .84).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcohol intoxication is common in adolescent trauma patients. Screening is encouraged for pediatric trauma patients aged ≥10 years who require admission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Critical Care, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA. eric.ley@cshs.org
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ley
authors.forename: Matthew B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Scott S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Short
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liou
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bukur
authors.forename: Darren J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Malinoski
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Margulies
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000431:Ethanol