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Violent behaviour associated with alcohol consumption is frequently reported by different media. Clinical data analyzing the correlation between alcohol intoxication, age, gender and violence are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of age, gender and blood alcohol content on violent behaviour under the influence of alcohol under central European conditions. Three hundred patients admitted to the emergency department were included into this study in the time period from January 01. to December 31. 2009. The inclusion criteria were a blood alcohol content (BAC) of >10mmol/l, any traumatic injury and an age >16 years. Violence was defined as an evitable act committed by others leading to patient's hospitalisation. The data were compared with Wilcoxon and y2-test for proportions. The data were considered as significant if p<0,05. Predictive quality was evaluated by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Independent predictors were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. The average age was 36,9±16,9 years (range:16-84 years), 259 (86%) males and 41 (24%) females. There was a significant difference in gender (odds ratio forgender male 2,88; Cl 95%: 1,24-6,67; p<0,001) and age dependent (odds ratio for each year of age 0,94; Cl 95%:0,93-0,96; p<0,0001) violence with no correlation to blood alcohol content found. Logistic regression analysis revealed male gender and young age as an independent predictor for violence. These results clarify the relationship between alcohol, age, gender and violence and have important implications for municipal-level alcohol policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adults in Switzerland drink an average of two glasses of wine per day. Alcohol abuse and cognitive disorders are closely linked, especially in elderly persons. The clinical examination must look for signs of malnutrition and include a neuropsychological examination when the Mini Mental State is pathological. In the presence of signs suggestive of a Gayet-Wernicke syndrom, an intravenous B1 vitamin therapy must be initiated for prophylactic or therapeutic treatment. Cognitive impairment is a factor of poor prognosis for the treatment of alcohol dependence, but should not lead to abandon treatment efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive alcohol consumption represents a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality. It is therefore indispensable to be able to detect at-risk drinking. Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a specific marker of alcohol consumption. The determination of ethyl glucuronide in urine or blood can be used to prove recent driving under the influence of alcohol, even if ethanol is no longer detectable. The commercialization of an EtG specific immunological assay now allows to obtain preliminary results rapidly and easily with satisfying sensitivity. Moreover, the detection of ethyl glucuronide in hair offers the opportunity to evaluate an alcohol consumption over a long period. The EtG concentration in hair is in correlation with the amount of ingested alcohol. Thus, the analysis of ethyl glucuronide can be used to monitor abstinence, to detect alcohol relapse and to identify at-risk drinkers. However, a cut off allowing to detect chronic alcohol abuser reliably still does not exist. Therefore, it is recommended to perform the analysis of ethyl glucuronide in complement to the existing blood markers. A study financed by the Swiss Foundation for Alcohol Research is actually conducted by the West Switzerland University Center of Legal Medicine in order to establish an objective cut-off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]