Pulmonary Complications of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in Trauma Patients. A Matched Analysis From a National Trauma Database

TY - JOUR

T1 - Pulmonary Complications of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in Trauma Patients. A Matched Analysis From a National Trauma Database

AU - Ahmed, Nasim

AU - Kuo, Yen Hong

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2021.

PY - 2023/4

Y1 - 2023/4

N2 - Background: Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is associated with increased occurrence of pneumonia and longer hospital stay. The purpose of the study is to find a national estimate of pulmonary complications in AWS patients using the National Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) database. Methods: We accessed the TQIP database focusing on the calendar years 2013-2016 and included all adult admitted trauma patients. The two groups (AWS and no AWS) were compared on baseline characteristics, injury, comorbidities, and outcomes. We performed univariate analysis followed by propensity matching. Results: Out of 534 880 patients who qualified for the study, 6929 (1.29%) patients had developed AWS. The propensity matching balanced the two groups on all the baseline characteristics, injury severity, and comorbidities and created 6929 pairs. One-to-one pair-matched analysis showed a significantly increased occurrence of pneumonia (12% vs 4.3%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (2.7% vs 1%), and sepsis (2.4% vs 1.1%) in AWS patients when compared with the patients without the AWS. Conclusion: The study showed approximately a 3-fold increase in ARDS and pneumonia and a more than two-fold increase in sepsis in AWS patients. Early intervention in high-risk AWS patients may reduce the complications.

AB - Background: Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is associated with increased occurrence of pneumonia and longer hospital stay. The purpose of the study is to find a national estimate of pulmonary complications in AWS patients using the National Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) database. Methods: We accessed the TQIP database focusing on the calendar years 2013-2016 and included all adult admitted trauma patients. The two groups (AWS and no AWS) were compared on baseline characteristics, injury, comorbidities, and outcomes. We performed univariate analysis followed by propensity matching. Results: Out of 534 880 patients who qualified for the study, 6929 (1.29%) patients had developed AWS. The propensity matching balanced the two groups on all the baseline characteristics, injury severity, and comorbidities and created 6929 pairs. One-to-one pair-matched analysis showed a significantly increased occurrence of pneumonia (12% vs 4.3%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (2.7% vs 1%), and sepsis (2.4% vs 1.1%) in AWS patients when compared with the patients without the AWS. Conclusion: The study showed approximately a 3-fold increase in ARDS and pneumonia and a more than two-fold increase in sepsis in AWS patients. Early intervention in high-risk AWS patients may reduce the complications.

KW - acute respiratory distress syndrome

KW - alcohol withdrawal syndrome

KW - pneumonia

KW - trauma

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85118295088

U2 - 10.1177/00031348211041568

DO - 10.1177/00031348211041568

M3 - Article

C2 - 34565191

SN - 0003-1348

VL - 89

SP - 803

EP - 812

JO - American Surgeon

JF - American Surgeon

IS - 4

ER -