title: Significant reduction in alcohol-related admissions to an intensive care unit in Dublin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2008, we conducted an audit in our general intensive care unit (ICU) which demonstrated a high workload from alcohol-related admissions which represented 12 % of total admissions and 16.8 % of total available bed days at that time.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To repeat the audit 5 years later in 2013 to assess the current workload from alcohol-related admissions and whether this had increased or decreased in the intervening time period.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively collected data from every admission to our 17-bed general ICU for the 6-month period from June 1 2013 to November 30 2013. We identified all admissions that were related to alcohol misuse. Their admission diagnosis, age, gender, ICU length of stay, APACHE 2 score (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation 2) and 30-day mortality were recorded. The results of the 2013 audit were then compared with data from the 2008 study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 30 % less alcohol-related admissions to our ICU in 2013 compared to the same period in 2008. The study group had a longer length of stay on average but a lower mortality than the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There has been a significant reduction in the ICU workload from alcohol-related admissions in our general ICU in the past 5 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, St. James's Hospital, James's Street, Dublin 8, Ireland, carolinelarkin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Larkin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fagan
mesh_terms: D018806:APACHE; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007494:Ireland; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors