title: Impact of Alcohol on Outcomes in Hospitalized Major Trauma Patients: A Literature Review.
abstract: To critically appraise available studies investigating the impact of alcohol outcomes in hospitalized patients after major trauma. Outcomes included injury severity, mortality, complications, and hospital/intensive care length of stay. Data were sourced from MEDLINE, CINAHL, and SCOPUS databases. Abstracts were screened for inclusion/exclusion criteria with 15 articles appraised and analyzed based on in-hospital outcomes. Although alcohol intoxication is associated with a marginal increase in the incidence of in-hospital complications (sepsis and multiorgan failure), overall studies suggest it is not associated with longer intensive care or in-hospital length of stay. This literature review also demonstrated decreased mortality and injury severity in patients with traumatic brain injury. Further research is required to determine the reasons for these associations.
authors.affiliation: Sydney Nursing School (Ms Leonard, Dr Buckley, and Dr Curtis), University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Trauma (Ms Leonard), Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; and Department of Trauma (Dr Curtis), South Eastern Sydney Local Heath District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth Anne
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Buckley
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Curtis
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009517:New South Wales; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018805:Sepsis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*