Comparing Outcomes and Infection Risk in Medical, Surgical, and Trauma Intensive Care Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Alcohol is the most frequently abused drug in the United States, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a common comorbidity in intensive care units (ICUs). <b><i>Patients and Methods:</i></b> We performed a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to an ICU between January 2017 and March 2019 at a tertiary hospital serving a large rural population. Patients with diagnoses of AUDs were included. Patients were excluded if they did not require ICU care. Patient demographics, hospital course, infection type, culture results, and mortality were evaluated. We compared medical, surgical, and trauma ICU patient outcomes and infections. <b><i>Results:</i></b> In total, 527 patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Trauma ICU patients had the least pre-existing comorbidities, and surgical ICU patients had the longest lengths of stay. There was no difference in in-hospital mortality between ICU groups; however, surgical and medical ICU patients had significantly greater rates of in-hospital mortality compared with trauma ICU patients. Infections were common across all ICU types, occurring in 40% of patients. There was no difference in infection rate between ICU types. In multi-variable analysis controlling for age, gender, liver failure, chronic kidney disease, thrombocytopenia, complications, and blood transfusions, infection remained an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio 3.3, 95% confidence interval 1.7-6.4). Septic shock occurred in 57% of infections and was associated with an increased risk of mortality (38% vs. 2%, p < 0.001). Pneumonia was the most common infection occurring in 28% of the cohort, followed by bacteremia (7%), skin/soft tissue infections (6%), urinary tract infection (5%), intra-abdominal infections (4%), and <i>C. difficile</i> (2%). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> AUDs in all types of ICU patients are associated with high rates of infections and high morbidity and mortality.