[Clinical aspects of acute intoxication with ethanol].

UNLABELLED

Acute ethanol intoxication and pathologies resulting from its chronic usage are among the most common causes of hospitalization in many countries, affecting all age groups, both genders and almost all social groups. The aim of the study was to evaluate chosen clinical aspects of acute intoxication with ethanol among patients admitted to the Department of Toxicology from 2002 to 2003. Data of 180 patients with acute ethanol poisoning were analyzed. There were 29 women aged from 15 to 65 (mean 33.9 +/- 15.7) years and 151 men aged from 13 to 75 (mean 39.3 +/- 14.8) years in the group. The alcohol addiction was the most common among men (68.9%), and the people over 30 years old (53.9%). In the adolescents (up to 18 yrs. old) the serum ethanol level was significantly lower but the coma grade was higher then in the adult group. There were 20 patients in deep coma (IV grade according to Matthew scale), 6 of whom (3.3% of the intoxicated persons) had acute respiratory failure with the necessity of invasive mechanical ventilation. There were 95 (52.8%) patients with transient elevation of creatine kinase activity from 191 to 14,616 (mean 1056.4 +/- 2604.3) U/L, and 18 (10%) patients with transient serum creatinine concentration elevation (max. 1.8 mg/dl).

CONCLUSIONS

The percentage of the addicted to ethanol were significantly higher among men (male to female 1:8.7), and patients over 30 years old. Despite the significantly lower serum alcohol level in adolescents the grade of coma was higher than in the adult group. There were 6 patients in deep coma and acute respiratory failure who required invasive mechanical ventilation.