Citation

Williams FN, Chrisco L, Strassle PD, Navajas E, Laughon SL, Sljivic S, Nizamani R, Charles A, King B. J. Burn Care Res. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, American Burn Association, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1093/jbcr/irab069

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The use of alcohol and illicit substances has been associated with impaired judgement and health, but the effect on inpatient outcomes after burn injury remains unsettled. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of alcohol and illicit substance use on our inpatient burn outcomes. Adult patients admitted with burn injury-including inhalation injury only-between January 1, 2014 and June 30, 2019 were eligible for inclusion. Alcohol use, and illicit drug use were identified on admission. Outcomes of interest included requiring mechanical ventilation, admission to the intensive care unit, length of stay, and inpatient mortality. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate the effects of use on inpatient outcomes. A total of 3,476 patients were included in our analyses; 8% (n = 284) tested positive for alcohol, 10% (n = 364) tested positive for cocaine, and 27% (n = 930) tested positive for marijuana and at admission. Two hundred-eighty adults (18% of all positive patients) tested positive for ≥2 substances. Patients that tested positive for alcohol had longer lengths of stay and were more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit. Patients that tested positive for cocaine had longer overall and intensive care unit lengths of stay. No differences in inpatient outcomes were seen among patients that tested positive for marijuana. Neither alcohol nor illicit substance use appears to impact inpatient mortality after burns. Alcohol and cocaine use significantly increased overall length of stay. Marijuana use had no impact on inpatient outcomes.

Language: en

Keywords

mortality; alcohol; drug use; burns