Alcoholic Victims and Traumatic Brain Injury: Epidemiological Aspects and Clinical Manifestations

Abstract

Introduction: An integrative review was conducted to elucidate epidemiological and clinical aspects surrounding alcohol-involved brain injury (TBI) victims, highlighting its dubieties around the theme, especially with regard to the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Objectives: Expose the epidemiology and clinical aspects that may be distorted. Design and setting: Descriptive review conducted in João Pessoa, PB, Brazil. Methodology: This is an descriptive review, based on the question: TBI in alcoholic victims. A survey of studies published in the BVS and SciELO databases was conducted with a temporal focus between 2018 and 2020. Results: Epidemiological data were conclusive: most victims are male and young. Concerning the clinical aspects, the question that emerged was: is the evaluation by GCS of the alcoholic patient with suspicion of TBI accurate? The answer was negative. The use of the GCS was revealed to be inefficient, due to the reduction of motor and verbal response, which leads one to assume that it is motivated by alcohol. Additionally, alcohol in medium and high doses reduces blood pressure and elevates heart rate. These signs indicate the opposite of what is expected in a picture of intracranial hypertension caused by TBI. Such features disguise its severity. Conclusions: It is necessary to outline a better way of assessing TBI in this group and to ensure that only alcoholic libation is not associated with lower GCS numbering, preventing concealment of the severity of the trauma.