ABSTRACT
AIMS: To examine the probability of detecting alcohol via urine drug testing (UDT) as influenced by age, gender, seasonality, geography, COVID-19, and time in those seeking health care. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of UDT results from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2020, was conducted using adult patient specimens submitted for testing by health care professionals as part of routine care. The UDT analysis used LC-MS/MS to detect two alcohol metabolites, ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate. Seasonal adjustment of positivity rates was accomplished using the STL method; trend analysis was performed on seasonally adjusted rates. Logistic regression was used to associate demographic features, and an interaction term for collection year and U.S. census division was included to help understand the changing nature of alcohol use over time and across divisions. RESULTS: Alcohol positivity rate shows strong seasonal changes with an oscillating profile that peaks in the summer and is at a low point in winter. The highest predicted positivity rate for alcohol was in male patients, 45-64 years of age, and from a primary care setting. Alcohol positivity peaked in 2016 and declined the following year. While remaining relatively steady since 2017, a small but significant increase was noted after the COVID-19 emergency declaration on March 13, 2020. The probability of being alcohol-positive varies significantly by geographic region, and not all regions are changing at the same rate. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol positivity in UDT in patients seeking health care is influenced by multiple factors and has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pharmaceutical Preparations , Adult , Alcohol Drinking/epidemiology , Chromatography, Liquid , Cross-Sectional Studies , Delivery of Health Care , Humans , Male , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2 , Seasons , Tandem Mass SpectrometryABSTRACT
While the world is facing a pandemic caused by the virus 2019-nCoV, critical hospital areas like the surgical unit must be ready to prevent contamination of the environment and the healthcare provider. The main purpose of this article is to review the current recommendations for using personal protection equipment, introduce devices that can prove useful for the practice of anesthesia and to explain the modifications and adaptations that must be made to both human and material resources in the surgical unit. (English) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Mientras el mundo enfrenta una pandemia por el agente vírico 2019-nCoV, las áreas críticas como la unidad quirúrgica se deben preparar para evitar la contaminación del personal de atención médica y el entorno. Los objetivos de este artículo son presentar las recomendaciones actuales para el uso de equipo de protección personal, dar a conocer los dispositivos útiles en la práctica de la anestesia y explicar las modificaciones y adecuaciones que se deben hacer a los recursos humanos y a los materiales dentro del área quirúrgica. (Spanish) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Anestesiologia is the property of Colegio Mexicano de Anestesiologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)