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Evaluating the influence of alcohol intoxication on the pre-hospital identification of severe head injury: a multi-center, cohort study.
- Source :
-
Brain injury [Brain Inj] 2023 Mar 21; Vol. 37 (4), pp. 308-316. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Dec 27. - Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Objective: To determine the influence of intoxication on the pre-hospital recognition of severely head-injured patients by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals and to investigate the relationship between suspected alcohol intoxication and severe head injury.<br />Methods: This multi-center, retrospective, cohort study included trauma patients, aged ≥ 16 years, transported by an ambulance of the Regional Ambulance Facility Utrecht to any emergency department in the participating trauma regions.<br />Results: Between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2017, 19,206 patients were included, of whom 1167 (6.0%) were suspected to have a severe head injury in the field, and 623 (3.2%) were diagnosed with such an injury at the hospital. These injuries were less frequently recognized in patients with a GCS ≥ 13 than in patients with a GCS < 13 (25.0% vs. 76.2%). Patients suspected to be intoxicated had a higher chance to suffer from severe head injury (OR 1.42, 95%-CI 1.22-1.65) and were recognized slightly more often (45.3% vs. 40.2%).<br />Conclusion: Severe head injuries are difficult to recognize in the field, especially in patients without a decreased GCS. Suspicion of alcohol intoxication did not seem to influence pre-hospital injury recognition, as it possibly makes a severe head injury harder to recognize and simultaneously raises caution for a severe injury.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1362-301X
- Volume :
- 37
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Brain injury
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 36573706
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2022.2158228