title: [Injuries under the influence of alcohol].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Germany, an average of 9.5 L of pure alcohol is consumed per capita per year. Alcohol is known to negatively influence psychomotor abilities. The aim of this study was to evaluate injuries that lead to hospital admission with and without prior intake of alcohol.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over a 7-month period, all 1317 patients who were admitted to the hospital because of an injury were evaluated with respect to their blood-alcohol level. Patient data of both groups (139 injuries under alcohol influence and 1178 injuries without alcohol influence) were compared with respect to the mechanism and type of injury, patient demographics, and treatment costs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the time of presentation, 11 % (n = 139) of all admitted patients had detectable blood-alcohol levels of more than 0.1 g/L with an average blood-alcohol level of 2.21 g/L. Female patients had an average of 1.96 g/L and males an average of 2.28 g/L (N.S.). Almost every fifth male patient (109 out of 570, 19 %) had a detectable blood-alcohol level, compared to only 4 % of all admitted female patients. Among the patients admitted between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., 35 % had detectable blood-alcohol levels and among the 20- to 30-year-old patients, 24 % had detectable blood-alcohol levels. The leading mechanisms of injury among intoxicated patients were falls (50 %, n = 70) and physical violence (18 %, n = 25). The latter was recorded significantly (p = 0.01) less among sober patients (0.17 %, n = 2). The most frequent diagnosis was a mild concussion in both intoxicated (60%, n = 84) and sober (34 %, n = 402) patients (p = 0.04). The time to discharge averaged 4.3 days for intoxicated and 5.6 days for sober patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Injuries that occur while under the influence of alcohol that lead to hospital admission are particularly frequent in male patients aged between 20 and 30 years. They do not necessarily lead to more severe injuries.
authors.affiliation: UniversitätsCentrum für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Deutschland. wolfgang.schneiders@uniklinikum-dresden.de.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schneiders
authors.affiliation: UniversitätsCentrum für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Deutschland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Niemann
authors.affiliation: UniversitätsCentrum für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Deutschland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rammelt
authors.affiliation: UniversitätsCentrum für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Deutschland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meyner
authors.affiliation: UniversitätsCentrum für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307, Dresden, Deutschland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rehberg
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D000067401:Blood Alcohol Content; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D014754:Violence / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000097:blood / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000067401:Blood Alcohol Content
keywords: Admission; Alcohol; Discharge; Injury; Severity