[Alcohol related hospitalizations in Landspitali University Hospital have increased significantly in recent years].

Abstract

Introduction: The harmful effects of alcohol are well known but a variable proportion of hospital admissions are due to alcohol related problems. The aim of the current study was to examine the number of alcohol-related admissions to Landspitali University Hospital 2005-2022 and to investigate whether there has been an increase during the period.

Methods: A search was undertaken for alcohol related ICD-10 diagnostic codes at the Landspítali University Hospital and information was collected on all those who had received one or more of these diagnoses upon discharge from 2005 to 2022. Relevant clinical data was obtained.

Results: A total of 2925 alcohol-related admissions were found during the study period, 1779 patients were admitted, 1168 men (66%) and 611 women (34%), with a median age of 54 years. Alcohol-related admissions increased from 34 per 100,000 population in 2005 to 64 per 100,000 in 2022. At the beginning of the study period, the proportion of alcohol-related admissions of all admissions to Landspítali was 0.32% whereas at the end of the period, the proportion had increased to 0.95%. The median length of stay was 6 days. The dominating diagnoses were related to mental and behavioural disorders (n=1878), alcohol-related liver disease (n=923), alcohol-related pancreatitis (n=457), and diseases of the nervous system (n=210), of whom 144 had Wernicke's disease.

Conclusions: Alcohol-related hospitalizations increased by 88% between 2005 and 2022. The most common diagnoses were mental and behavioral disorders and liver and pancreatic diseases. This has led to a significant cost increase for the healthcare system and society as a whole.