Current illicit drug use profile of orthopaedic trauma patients and its effect on hospital length of stay

Injury
Stephen J ShymonJohn P Andrawis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of illicit drug use among patients admitted with traumatic orthopaedic injuries and to determine its effect on hospital length of stay (LOS). We hypothesized that patients with pre-injury drug use would have a longer hospital LOS compared to those who do not use drugs. We conducted a retrospective cohort study at our level 1 urban trauma center of patients admitted with traumatic orthopaedic injuries between 2013 and 2015 with urine toxicology screening. We collected demographic and hospital LOS data from chart review. Of 611 patients, over half (55%) had a positive drug screen: marijuana (41%), amphetamine (19%), cocaine (7%), and/or PCP (2%). The highest incidence of drug use was in males under 19 years of age (81%). Patients with any drug use had a longer hospital LOS compared to those who did not use drugs (8.3 vs. 6.3 days; p = 0.03). Patients who used amphetamines had a longer hospital LOS than those patients who did not (9.5 vs. 6.9 days; p = 0.01). Compared to the orthopaedic trauma population two decades ago, the current population using illicit drugs is younger (<30 years) with an increased preference for amphetamine and marijuana and a decreased preference f...Continue Reading

References

Jan 1, 1996·Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma·R S LevyR L Barrack
Nov 5, 1999·Journal of the American College of Surgeons·C R Schermer, D H Wisner
Aug 11, 2004·Archives of Surgery·Gail T TominagaJan Wong
Apr 27, 2005·Alcohol and Alcoholism : International Journal of the Medical Council on Alcoholism·Guilherme BorgesCheryl Cherpitel
Jul 20, 2007·Archives of Surgery·Jason A London, Felix D Battistella
Jan 22, 2011·Journal of Trauma Management & Outcomes·Matthew C Cowperthwaite, Mark G Burnett
Aug 21, 2013·Journal of Emergencies, Trauma, and Shock·Jacky T YeungWilliam M Bowling
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Mar 5, 2014·The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse·Patrick M Lank, Marie L Crandall
Oct 22, 2016·The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery·Vincent ChengDemetrios Demetriades

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