Influence of alcohol 114 hospitalised victims of traffic accidents

The blood-alcohol concentration and the biochemical (GGT, methanol, acetone, isopropanol blood concentrations) as well as the psychological markers (MAST, CAGE tests) of chronic alcoholism have been examined in 619 injured persons admitted to the Department of Traumatology, Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Medical University, Szeged, Hungary in the interval of Ist January 1996-31st December 1997. At the time of their hospitalisation 37.9% of the injured persons in traffic accidents were under moderate influence of alcohol. The frequency of the alcoholic intoxication is 46.8% of drivers, 29% of passengers and 43.6% of pedestrians and cyclists respectively. Habitual consumption of alcohol was diagnosed in 22.9% of injured persons according to at least two positive markers of alcoholism (27% of drivers, 21% of passengers, 20% of pedestrians and cyclists). Attention is called to the necessity of regular examination of alcoholic intoxication and the markers of chronic alcoholism at the time of the hospitalisation of accident victims. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ieland Ltd. All rights reserved.