Impact of adolescents’ binge drinking on blood chemistry

Adolescent binge drinking is increasingly common. This study investigates the anomalies in glucose, sodium, calcium, potassium, and acid-base homeostasis induced by binge drinking in adolescents. The records of teenagers who sought medical attention for binge drinking (ethanol level ≥ 0.80 g/L) at the Pediatric Emergency Department, Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan (Italy), spanning the years 2013 to 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. For this analysis, cases were selected if documented blood chemistry encompassed sodium, potassium, total calcium, glucose, acid-base balance, and lactic acid (only for those with metabolic acidosis). Included were 173 adolescents (female-to-male ratio 0.94), 13.2 to 18.4, median 16.4 years of age. Hypoglycemia (≤ 3.3 mmol/L; N = 1, 0.6%), hyponatremia (≤ 134 mmol/L; N = 7, 4.0%), hypernatremia (≥ 146 mmol/L; N = 3, 1.7%), hypocalcemia (≤ 2.19 mmol/L; N = 0) hypercalcemia (≥ 2.61 mmol/L; N = 0), and hyperkalemia (≥ 5.1 mmol/L; N = 0) were infrequent. Acute respiratory acidosis (pCO₂ ≥ 46 mm Hg; pH < 7.40; N = 101, 58%) was the most common acid-base imbalance, followed by respiratory alkalosis (pCO₂ ≤ 34 mm Hg; pH > 7.40; N = 10, 5.6%), and metabolic acidosis (HCO₃^- ≤ 19 mmol/L, pH < 7.40; N = 9, 5.2%). The lactic acid level was increased (≥ 2.1 mmol/L) in all cases with metabolic acidosis. Metabolic alkalosis (HCO₃^- ≥ 28 mmol/L, pH > 7.40) never occurred. Hypokalemia (≤ 3.4 mmol/L; N = 56, 32%) was prevalent, particularly in adolescents with normal acid-base equilibrium or metabolic acidosis, rather than respiratory acidosis or alkalosis.Conclusion: Adolescents who engage in binge drinking often experience a disrupted acid-base balance and hypokalemia, while glucose, sodium and calcium levels are rarely affected. What is known? • Binge drinking is becoming increasingly common among adolescents. • Conflicting data regarding the type and prevalence of biochemical disorders induced by binge drinking are available in this age group. What is new? • Acute respiratory acidosis is prevalent in adolescents with binge drinking, whereas respiratory alkalosis, metabolic acidosis, and hypoglycemia are uncommon. • Hypokalemia develops frequently.