[Comparative analysis of the incidence of alcohol intoxication in adolescents in a pediatric emergency department.]

Abstract

Objective: A retrospective study (2007-2012) of acute alcohol intoxication (AAI) in the paediatric Emergency Department (ED) (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona) demonstrated a decrease in the rates of AAI over the last two years. Aim: to determine if this decile continued during the following 5 years and to describe the profile and clinical management of these patients.

Methods: Descriptive, retrospective and observation study. Adolescents who presented to the ED (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona) with AAI were included (2007-2017). Patients were classified in two groups: mil and moderate/severe; we compared the differences in the clinical management (monitoring of vital signs, lab test and treatment). We defined the AAI incidence rate: number of AAI every 1000 ED adolescent consultations/year.

Results: We included 836 AII, incidence rate: 7.7;2007, 8.5;2008, 6.6;2009, 7.8;2010, 6.4;2011, 6.4;2012, 4.8;2013, 4.6;2014, 5.5;2015, 4.8;2016 and 3.4;2017. The mean age was 15.9 (SD 1.2) years, 54.9% (459) were women. 54.5% had mild AAI, 45.4% moderate/severe. The temperature was taken to 607 patients, capillary blood glucose to 573 and blood pressure to 633. We found no differences in the monitoring of vital signs regardless of the symptoms of the patients. Patients with moderate/severe AAI underwent blood test more frequently than those with mild AAI (ethanol levels 88.2% vs 50.4%; p<0.001; electrolytes 81.2% vs 48%, p<0.001; glucose levels 64.4% vs 37.1%, p<0.001). Four hundred and twelve patients (49.3%) received fluid therapy. Twenty-two patients were admitted.

Conclusions: The incidence of AAI decreased over the last years. The profile of these patients remains unchanged (adolescents with moderate AAI during weekends). Even though lab test were performed more frequently to patients with moderate/severe AAI, clinical management should be improved by taking vital signs and capillary glycemia to all patients, keeping the blood analysis for moderate-severe AAI.