Evaluation of traumatic brain injury patients with signs of alcohol intoxication.

ABSTRACT Objetive: to evaluate the influence of alcohol intoxication in the time to perform head computed tomography and tomographic findings in traumatic brain injury patients. Methods: a retrospective study of 183 traumatic brain injury patients, divided into two groups: 90 alcoholics and 93 non-alcoholics. Time interval from patient’s arrival at emergency room to tomography was calculated for comparison between the groups, and tomographic findings were analyzed. Results: in the alcoholic group, the percentage of male patients was higher, the predominant age was between 31 and 40 years, aggression was the most frequent trauma mechanism, and these patients showed lower values on the Glasgow coma scale. It was observed that there was no statistical difference between the two groups regarding the time interval for tomography execution, as well as regarding the tomographic findings. In addition, in the alcoholic patients, when the Glasgow coma scale values were correlated with the time interval, there was no difference from scores 13 to 15 (mild traumatic brain injury) and those equal to or inferior than 12 (moderate and severe traumatic brain injury). Conclusion: signs of alcoholic intoxication did not influence the time interval for tomography execution. Patients under alcohol influence showed lower scores on the Glasgow coma scale due to the direct effect of alcohol and not due to a higher prevalence of tomographic findings.