Investigators concluded that patients with blunt bowel mesenteric injury (BBMI) acute alcohol intoxication exhibit poorer outcomes, such as compromised hemodynamics, altered inflammation, and increased bowel-related mortality.

The following is a summary of “Effect of acute alcohol consumption on blunt bowel mesenteric injury: a retrospective analysis,” published in the January 2024 issue of Emergency Medicine by Hsieh et al.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to investigate the impact of acute alcohol intoxication on clinical features, injury patterns, and outcomes in a cohort with surgical blunt bowel mesenteric injury (BBMI). 

They analyzed trauma cases (2009-2021) from a Trauma Registry System, examining patients tested for alcohol with surgically confirmed BBMI. Grouping patients based on positive blood alcohol concentration ((BAC; >0.5% vs. no BAC; less than 0.5% no BAC) upon arrival at the emergency department (ED), assessing injury characteristics, physiological parameters, and outcomes related to post-injury complications and mortality.

The result showed that of 142 patients with surgical BBMI, 116 were BAC-negative, and 26 were BAC-positive. Overall injury severity and pattern were comparable; the BAC-positive group exhibited significantly lower systolic blood pressure (99 mmHg vs. 119 mmHg; P=0.046), worse shock index (0.96 vs. 0.82; P=0.048), and received fewer packed red blood cell transfusions (34.6% vs. 57.8%; P=0.032). A trend of lower leukocyte counts (9,700 cells/mm³vs. 11,600 cells/mm³; P=0.165) and reduced percentages of leukocytes ≥ 12,000 cells/mm³(26.9% vs. 48.3%;P=0.048) and ≥ 12,000 or ≤ 4,000 cells/mm³ (26.9% vs. 50.9%; P=0.027) were observed in the BAC-positive group. While the 30-day mortality rate did not significantly differ, the BAC-positive group showed a higher incidence of bowel-related mortality (11.5% vs. 1.7%, P=0.043).

Investigators concluded that BBMI patients with acute alcohol intake exhibit poorer outcomes, such as compromised hemodynamics, altered inflammation, and increased bowel-related mortality.

Source: bmcemergmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12873-023-00928-1