Relationship between anatomical sites and severity of the lesions and use of alcohol and psychotropic substances in traumatized drivers admitted to the Emergency Department of Padua, Italy.

INTRODUCTION: Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or psychoactive substances increases the risk of road accidents, but it is controversial whether this affects site and severity of injuries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We search for alcohol, cannabinoids, cocaine, benzodiazepines, opioids, methadone, amphetamines and barbiturates in biological fluids of 1764 traumatized drivers admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) of Padua between 2010 and 2014. RESULTS: We note correlation between alcohol and benzodiazepines and admission in ICU and between all the intoxications and the reserved prognosis. The sites of injuries were: head (37.13%), maxillofacial (8.33%), spinal column (44.67%), thoracic (15.31%), abdominal (5%), pelvic (2.55%) and limb traumas (23.58%). We observed a correlation between head trauma (p < 0.0001), maxillofacial trauma (p = 0.0418), thoracic trauma (p = 0.0215), pelvic trauma (p = 0.0008), spinal column trauma (p < 0.0001) and the totality of the intoxication and an association between benzodiazepines and thoracic and pelvic trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol and benzodiazepines intoxication increases the risk of reserved prognosis and admission in ICU; benzodiazepines intoxication correlates with thoracic and pelvic trauma.