Pre-injury chronic alcohol abuse predicts intracranial hemorrhagic progression, unfavorable clinical outcome, and mortality in severe traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to determine the incidence of pre-injury alcohol abuse in TBI at our neurointensive care unit (NICU), the relation to intracranial hemorrhage evolution, and clinical outcome.

METHODS

Patients with TBI treated at our NICU at Uppsala university hospital, Sweden, 2008-2018, were included. Clinical, radiological, and outcome variables were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 844 patients with TBI, 147 (17%) had a history of pre-injury alcohol abuse and these patients were slightly older, but had a similar Charlson co-morbidity index as the other patients. They were more often injured by falls and more frequently developed acute subdural hematomas and cerebral contusions. Their platelets were lower and their IVY bleeding time slightly longer. Patients with pre-injury alcohol abuse more often exhibited an intracranial hemorrhage progression on the second computed tomography. Pre-injury alcohol abuse was an independent predictor of increased mortality (odds ratio = 2.96, p-value = 0.001) and decreased favorable outcome (odds ratio = 0.46, p-value = 0.001) in multiple regression analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-injury alcohol abuse was common in severe TBI, associated with coagulopathy, worse intracranial hemorrhage/injury evolution, and independently predicted poor clinical outcome. These patients deserve more attention in care and research to address specific challenges including disturbed hemostasis.