Substance Use Disorder

Opioid use and abuse in adolescents and young adults; dealing with science, laws and ethics: Charming the COBRAS

The subject of substance use disorders in the pediatric population remains a disturbing conundrum for clinicians, researchers and society in general. Many of our youth are at risk of being damaged and even killed by drug addictions that result from the collision of rapidly developing as well as vulnerable central nervous systems encountering the current global drug addiction crisis. A major motif of this chemical calamity is opioid use disorder in adolescents and young adults that was stimulated by the 19th century identification of such highly addictive drugs as morphine, heroin and a non-opiate, cocaine. This analysis focuses on the pervasive presence of opioid drugs such as heroin and fentanyl that has become a major tragedy in the 21st century arising from an overall substance use and misuse phenomenon rampant in global society. Themes covered in this article include the history of addictive drugs in humans, diagnostic terms in use, the role of neurobiology in drug addiction, and current psychopharmacologic approaches to opioid overdose as well as addiction. Our youth are continuously confronted by dangers of high-risk behaviors including death and injury from opioid use disorders due to their central nervous system neuroplasticity as well as the widespread availability of these harmful chemicals. Healthcare professionals should actively assist our youth who unknowingly and even innocently encounter this deadly menace in the 21st century.

Intoxication and Glasgow coma scale scores in patients with head trauma

INTRODUCTION

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is an assessment tool commonly used by emergency department (ED) clinicians to objectively describe level of consciousness, especially in trauma patients. This study aims to assess the effect of drug and alcohol intoxication on GCS scores in cases of traumatic head injury.

METHODS

In this retrospective chart review study, data were extracted from The Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation Data Base Collection System. Eligible subjects included trauma patients aged 18 years and older, with head trauma, who presented between January 2019 and August 2023. Subjects were matched to controls who did not test positive for drugs or alcohol, matched by Injury Severity Score (ISS) category.

RESULTS

Among 1088 subjects, the mean age was 63 (95% CI 62-64). The mean Injury Severity Score was 21 (95% CI 21-22). The median GCS among all subjects was 14 (IQR 6-15). Cases with alcohol or drug use were matched to controls without alcohol or drug use, and were matched by categories of Injury Severity Score. Cases with alcohol or drug use had lower GCS (median 13; IQR 3-15), compared to cases without alcohol or drug use (median 15; IQR 13-15) (p < 0.0001, Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with head trauma, intoxicated patients had statistically significant lower GCS scores as compared to matched patients with similar Injury Severity Scores.