Mullins Peter M, Mazer-Amirshahi Maryann, Pines Jesse M
Center for Healthcare Innovation and Policy Research, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20037, USA
Department of Emergency Medicine, Medstar Washington Hospital Center, 110 Irving Street NW, Suite NA 1177, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
Alcohol Alcohol. 2017 Jan;52(1):119-125. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agw074. Epub 2016 Oct 7.
Alcohol intoxication is a source of significant illness and injury commonly resulting in emergency department (ED) visits. We characterize recent trends in alcohol-related visits to US EDs using nationally representative data.
We conducted a retrospective review of data on national ED visits among patients aged 18 years or older with alcohol intoxication between 2001 and 2011 using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). Demographic and resource utilization trends in alcohol-related visits were examined. We also assessed ED length of stay (LOS) across the study period, as well as the total hours spent on ED care for alcohol-related complaints.
Between 2001-2002 and 2010-2011, alcohol-related visits increased from 2,459,748 to 3,856,346 (P = 0.049). Utilization of resources such as laboratory tests, medications and radiography increased, with the use of advanced imaging (i.e. computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) increasing 232.2% (P < 0.001) from 2001-2002 to 2010-2011. Overall LOS increased 16.1% (P = 0.028), while LOS among patients admitted to the hospital increased 24.9% (P = 0.076). Total alcohol-related hours spent in EDs nationwide increased from 5.6 million in 2001 to 11.6 million in 2011, an increase of 108.5% (P < 0.001) compared with an increase in overall ED hours of 54.0% (P < 0.001).
Alcohol-related ED visits are increasing at a greater rate than overall ED visits and represent a growing burden on hospital resources.
酒精中毒是导致严重疾病和伤害的一个原因，常常致使患者前往急诊科就诊。我们利用具有全国代表性的数据，对美国急诊科与酒精相关就诊情况的近期趋势进行了描述。
我们使用国家医院门诊医疗调查（NHAMCS）对2001年至2011年间年龄在18岁及以上且有酒精中毒症状的患者的全国急诊科就诊数据进行了回顾性分析。研究了与酒精相关就诊的人口统计学和资源利用趋势。我们还评估了整个研究期间急诊科的住院时间（LOS），以及因酒精相关病症在急诊科接受治疗所花费的总时长。
在2001 - 2002年至2010 - 2011年期间，与酒精相关的就诊次数从2459748次增加到3856346次（P = 0.049）。实验室检查、药物治疗和放射检查等资源的使用有所增加，从2001 - 2002年到2010 - 2011年，先进成像技术（即计算机断层扫描和磁共振成像）的使用增加了232.2%（P < 0.001）。总体住院时间增加了16.1%（P = 0.028），而住院患者的住院时间增加了24.9%（P = 0.076）。全国急诊科因酒精相关病症所花费的总时长从2001年的560万小时增加到2011年的1160万小时，增加了108.5%（P < 0.001），而急诊科总时长增加了54.0%（P < 0.001）。
与酒精相关的急诊科就诊次数的增长速度高于急诊科就诊总次数，对医院资源构成了日益沉重的负担。
