摘要
Purpose:Alcohol has been associated with 10%—35%trauma admissions and 40%trauma-related deaths globally.In response to the COVID-19 pandemic,the United Kingdom entered a state of"lockdown"on March 23,2020.Restrictions were most significantly eased on June 1,2020,when shops and schools re-opened.The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of lockdown on alcohol-related trauma admissions.Methods:All adult patients admitted as"trauma calls"to a London major trauma centre during April 2018 and April 2019(pre-lockdown,n=316),and 1st April—31st May 2020(lockdown,n=191)had electronic patient records analysed retrospectively.Patients’blood alcohol level and records of intoxication were used to identify alcohol-related trauma.Trauma admissions from pre-lockdown and lockdown cohorts were compared using multiple regression analyses.Results:Alcohol-related trauma was present in a significantly higher proportion of adult trauma calls during lockdown(lockdown 60/191(31.4%),vs.pre-lockdown 62/316(19.6%);(odds ratio(OR):0.83,95%CI:0.38—1.28,p<0.001).Lockdown was also associated with increased weekend admissions of trauma(lockdown 125/191 weekend(65.5%)vs.pre-lockdown 179/316(56.7%);OR:0.40,95%CI:0.79 to-0.02,p=0.041).No significant difference existed in the age,gender,or mechanism between pre-lockdown and lockdown cohorts(p>0.05).Conclusions:The United Kingdom lockdown was independently associated with an increased proportion of alcohol-related trauma.Trauma admissions were increased during the weekend when staffing levels are reduced.With the possibility of further global"waves"of COVID-19,the long-term repercussions of dangerous alcohol-related behaviour to public health must be addressed.
