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Mortality of subjects with alcohol‐related seizures increased after alcohol cheapening
Author(s) -
Vaaramo K.,
Puljula J.,
Tetri S.,
Juvela S.,
Hillbom M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/ane.12150
Subject(s) - alcohol , medicine , epilepsy , psychiatry , psychology , biology , biochemistry
Objective To investigate whether the reduction of alcohol prices in F inland ( M arch 1, 2004) associated with an increase in mortality of subjects with alcohol‐related seizures. Patients and methods All subjects with head trauma in O ulu U niversity H ospital during 1999 ( n = 827) were identified and thereafter followed up until death or the end of 2009. We used N ational H ospital D ischarge R egister, hospital charts, and death records from O fficial C ause‐of‐ D eath S tatistics to identify seizure visits and alcohol‐related deaths. K aplan– M eier survival curves were used to characterize the effect of alcohol price reduction on risk of death. Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify independent predictors of death. Results Twenty‐five subjects had alcohol‐related seizures before the alcohol price reduction. Their cumulative mortality rate was significantly higher ( P = 0.015) than that of other head trauma subjects during the follow‐up and it clearly increased after the price reduction. Age ( HR 1.06 per year, 95% CI 1.05–1.07, P < 0.001), moderate‐to‐severe traumatic brain injury ( HR 2.04 95% CI 1.37–3.04, P < 0.001), and alcohol‐related seizure ( HR 3.02, 95% CI 1.48–6.16, P = 0.002) were independent predictors of death after adjustment for confounding factors. Conclusion We conclude that the political decision to lower alcohol price associated with a significant increase in the mortality rate of subjects with alcohol‐related seizures.