Comprehensive Laboratory Analysis of Korean Acute Alcoholic Intoxication Patients Reveals the Need for a National Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination Program in Korea.

Abstract

BackgroundAcute alcoholic intoxication patients (AAIP) are a common public health problem. The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive laboratory analysis for these patients to investigate the co-morbid medical problem.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed laboratory findings of AAIP who were transferred to the emergency department (ED) from January 2017 to June 2017.ResultsA total of 160 male patients were enrolled. Sixteen patients (16/160, 10.0%) and three patients (3/160, 1.9%) had macrocytic anemia and microcytic anemia, respectively. A total of 33 patients (33/160, 20.6%) showed thrombocytopenia (<150×109 /L). Twelve patients (12/159, 7.5%) showed low serum albumin level (<3.5 g/dL). Three patients (3/160, 1.9%) had chronic kidney disease stages 3–4 based on estimated glomerular filtration rate. Six patients (6/27, 22.2%) had high hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level (>7.0%). Positive rates of hepatitis B surface antigen and antiHBs antibody (anti-HBs Ab) were 3.5% (5/141) and 49.0% (68/141), respectively.ConclusionPatients with AAIP who were transferred to ED had various laboratory abnormalities (anemia, thrombocytopenia, high HbA1c). They had low positive rate of anti-HBs Ab. This might be a public health problem, suggesting the need of hepatitis B virus vaccination program for AAIP. Our data suggest the need of further nationwide studies.