The potentiating effects of alcohol on injury:​ a clinical study

Waller, Patricia F.; Hansen, A. R.; Stewart, J. Richard; Popkin, Carol L.; Rodgman, Eric A.

Affiliations

¹The University of Michigan, Transportation Research Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan

²The University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

³The University of North Carolina, Highway Safety Research Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Abstract

This study examined 1397 patients, both admitted and non-admitted, presenting to a Level 1 Trauma Center for treatment of motor vehicle injury. Crash reports were obtained for all patients in the analyses, and most had objective measures of BAC. For non-admitted patients alcohol impairment was strongly associated with greater injury, taking into account crash severity. For admitted patients relationships were much less clear, although medical evidence of chronic alcohol use was associated with higher current BAC, higher ISS, and lower Trauma Scores. Chronic alcohol use was also associated with greater probability of hospital admission. Implications of the results are discussed.

Cited Works (9)

Year	Entry
1987	Waller JA. Methodologic issues in hospital based injury research. In: 31st Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). September 28-30, 1987; New Orleans, LA.95-108.
1987	Soderstrom CA, Eastham JN Jr. The effects of alcohol on outcome among vehicular crash victims admitted to a trauma center. In: 31st Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). September 28-30, 1987; New Orleans, LA.79-94.
1982	House EG, Waller PF, Stewart JR. Blood alcohol level and injury in traffic crashes. In: 26th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 4-6, 1982; Ottawa, ON.349-373.
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1971	Perrine MW, Waller JA, Harris LS. Alcohol and Highway Safety: Behavioral and Medical Aspects. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; September 1971. NHTSA Technical Report DOT HS 800 599.
1986	Waller PF, Stewart JR, Hansen AR, Stutts JC, Popkin CL, Rodgman EA. The potentiating effects of alcohol on driver injury. JAMA. September 19, 1986;256(11):1461-1466.

Cited By (3)

Year	Entry
1991	Hansen AR, Popkin CL, Campbell BJ, Burton JH, Waller PF. Comparison of police and physician judgements of injury severity and inebriation in motor vehicle crash victims. In: 35th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 7, 1991; Toronto, Canada.249-260.
1995	Waller PF, Blow FC, Maio RF, Singer K, Hill EM, Schaefer N. Crash characteristics and injuries of victims impaired by alcohol versus illicit. In: 39th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 16-18, 1995; Chicago, IL.89-104.
2000	Melnick DM, Maio RF, Blow FC, Hill EM. Does acute alcohol ingestion and/or chronic alcohol use among motor vehicle crash victims lead to a more complicated hospital course? In: 44th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). October 2-4, 2000; Chicago, IL.