Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine if the presence of acute or chronic alcohol intoxication alters the medical and surgical management, risk of complications, and serious outcome of acute trauma in humans. Approximately 3300 patients over 12 years of age hospitalized for trauma at Harborview Medical Center, the Level 1 Trauma Center for the Puget Sound area, and approximately 640 fatal trauma victims autopsied by the King County Medical Examiner's Office will be prospectively studied over a three year period. Patients will be classified as intoxicated or non-intoxicated on the basis of blood alcohol level and as chronic alcohol abusers or not on the basis of biochemical markers (GGT, GDH and MCC) or liver histology. Information will be abstracted from the Harborview Trauma Registry database, the medical record, state vital records and Medical Examiner's reports. Groups with different alcohol exposure will be compared on the need for diagnostic studies, the incidence of post-trauma complications, survival, physical and neurological impairment, and relative risks associated with these will be calculated. The results of this study will provide both clinicians and researchers with a comprehensive assessment of the impact of alcohol on trauma, as well as an accurate description of alcohol associated complications.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AA007116-03
Application #
3110724
Study Section
Clinical and Treatment Subcommittee (ALCP)
Project Start
1988-09-15
Project End
1992-08-31
Budget Start
1990-09-01
Budget End
1992-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Washington
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
135646524
City
Seattle
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98195

  Publications

Gubler, K D; Davis, R; Koepsell, T et al. (1997) Long-term survival of elderly trauma patients. Arch Surg 132:1010-4
Gubler, K D; Maier, R V; Davis, R et al. (1996) Trauma recidivism in the elderly. J Trauma 41:952-6
Nilssen, O; Ries, R; Rivara, F P et al. (1996) The ""WAM"" score: sensitivity and specificity of a user friendly biological screening test for alcohol problems in trauma patients. Addiction 91:255-62
Nilssen, O; Ries, R K; Rivara, F P et al. (1994) The CAGE questionnaire and the Short Michigan Alcohol Screening Test in trauma patients: comparison of their correlations with biological alcohol markers. J Trauma 36:784-8
Gubler, K D; Gentilello, L M; Hassantash, S A et al. (1994) The impact of hypothermia on dilutional coagulopathy. J Trauma 36:847-51
Jurkovich, G J; Rivara, F P; Gurney, J G et al. (1993) The effect of acute alcohol intoxication and chronic alcohol abuse on outcome from trauma. JAMA 270:51-6
Rivara, F P; Jurkovich, G J; Gurney, J G et al. (1993) The magnitude of acute and chronic alcohol abuse in trauma patients. Arch Surg 128:907-12;discussion 912-3
Rivara, F P; Gurney, J G; Ries, R K et al. (1992) A descriptive study of trauma, alcohol, and alcoholism in young adults. J Adolesc Health 13:663-7
Gurney, J G; Rivara, F P; Mueller, B A et al. (1992) The effects of alcohol intoxication on the initial treatment and hospital course of patients with acute brain injury. J Trauma 33:709-13
Jurkovich, G J; Rivara, F P; Gurney, J G et al. (1992) Effects of alcohol intoxication on the initial assessment of trauma patients. Ann Emerg Med 21:704-8

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