Highlights
- •27.6% of RTIs in an ED in Mexico City tested positive for a psychoactive substance.
- •After alcohol, stimulants were the most prevalent class of substance.
- •Biological testing is highly recommended as a routine practice in the ED.
Abstract
There have been no studies reporting on the use of biological specimens in Mexico
to analyze the prevalence of alcohol and drug use among Emergency Department (ED)
patients with a road traffic injury (RTI). We report here on a sample of 304 adult
patients, admitted to the ED of a public hospital in Mexico City from January to April
2022, after being involved in an RTI. Patients gave informed consent for a breath
test measuring breath alcohol concentration (BAC) and a saliva screening test for
six classes of drugs (amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cannabis, cocaine,
and methamphetamine). We found that at least one in every four patients (27.6%) had
traces of alcohol or drugs in their body upon arrival in the ED. The breath test found
a positive BAC in 16.1% of the sample; the most common substances detected in saliva
were amphetamines or methamphetamine (8.6%), followed by cocaine (7.0%) and cannabis
(6.9%). Only a few variables differentiated those with positive BAC from those with
negative BAC (male, arriving on a weekend day or night, and arriving by ambulance),
and even fewer variables differentiated those testing positives for drugs than those
testing negative (less than 13 years of education and drivers of cars, bicycles, or
other vehicles). While alcohol continues to be the single most used substance, our
findings indicate that stimulants are of great concern. Since those testing positives
for alcohol or drugs are so similar in their demographic pattern to those testing
negative, the introduction of biological testing as a routine practice in the ED is
highly recommended. Routine testing makes it possible to provide the patient with
the best treatment and is also the best way to assess substance use.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 19, 2022
Accepted:
December 18,
2022
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
