Open AccessEffect of Alcohol on Glasgow Coma Scale in Head-Injured Patients
Author(s) -
Lance Stuke,
Ramon DiazArrastia,
Larry M. Gentilello,
Shahid Shafi
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
annals of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.153
H-Index - 309
eISSN - 1528-1140
pISSN - 0003-4932
DOI - 10.1097/01.sla.0000250413.41265.d3
Subject(s) - medicine , glasgow coma scale , traumatic brain injury , injury severity score , head injury , poison control , head trauma , abbreviated injury scale , alcohol intoxication , revised trauma score , anesthesia , injury prevention , surgery , emergency medicine , psychiatry
Almost 50% of traumatic brain-injured (TBI) patients are alcohol intoxicated. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is frequently used to direct diagnostic and therapeutic decisions in these patients. It is commonly assumed that alcohol intoxication reduces GCS, thus limiting its utility in intoxicated patients. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the presence of blood alcohol has a clinically significant impact on GCS in TBI patients.