The influence of COVID-19 epidemic on the number of orthopaedic surgeries in Japan.

BACKGROUND: There is limited data on the impact of COVID-19 epidemic on the number of orthopaedic surgeries in Japan. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide hospital survey asking for the monthly number of orthopaedic surgeries performed at each facility from January 2019 to June 2021. Those facilities that had performed at least 100 surgeries in 2019 were included for analyses. The facilities were further grouped by prefecture and by hospital characteristics. A brief health economic evaluation was also performed. Risk ratios were compared using univariate analyses with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Questionnaire was sent to 1988 hospitals with 1671 hospitals (84%) responding. The survey data indicated a total number of orthopaedic surgeries decreased in 2020 compared to 2019 (1,061,541 vs 1,119,955 P < 0.01), and also for the first six months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019 (530,388 vs 550,378 P < 0.01). In 2020, over 50% of all facilities in nearly all of the prefectures saw a decline in surgical procedures. The risk of incurring more than a 25% decease in the number of surgeries was significantly higher in 2020 for class I designated medical institutions compared to those that were not designated for any types of infectious diseases among the institutions with a tertiary emergency medical center in 2020 (crude risk ratio 2.9: 95% CI 1.2-7.4, p = 0.02) and in 2021 (crude risk ratio 4.7: 95% CI 1 0.9-12.1, p < 0.01). The estimated total nationwide decrease of revenue were in the range of approximately ¥29.2 to ¥116.8 billion per year for orthopaedic surgeries alone. CONCLUSION: There was a statistically significant decrease in the number of orthopaedic surgeries in Japan. The magnitude of the decline varied by prefectures and hospital characteristics, with the greater impact imposed on medical institutions with higher classification functions. The estimated immediate health economic impact was sizable.

Helicobacter pylori Eradication Using Laser Endoscope and Methylene Blue.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication has become increasingly unsuccessful due to the prevalence of antibiotic resistance. To address this global issue, a novel strategy for eradication without antibiotics must be developed. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of methylene blue (MB) with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) on H. pylori using photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MB was basified using NaHCO3. The basic effect of MB with NaHCO3 was examined using an endoscope equipped with a laser light source. H. pylori was smeared on the culture media with basic MB, followed by illumination at approximately 1,100 lux for 10 and 20 seconds.After 4 days of culture, the basic effects were determined according to the bacterial growth. RESULTS: The basic effects of MB appeared at a pH from 8.6 to 9.0 and at NaHCO3 concentrations between 2% and 6.5%. MB concentrations of > 0.05% exhibited the basic effects. The duration of irradiation had no remarkable effects. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that the laser endoscope and basic MB were effective for H. pylori eradication.

Characteristics and subgroups of frequent emergency department users in an academic hospital in Japan.

AIM: Frequent emergency department (ED) users increase the burden on EDs. However, little is known about the characteristics and subgroups of frequent ED users in Japan. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data on patients who had visited the ED of an academic hospital in Japan between 2014 and 2015. We identified adult frequent ED users (four or more ED visits within 365 days prior to one's last visit) and sampled adult non-frequent ED users. We compared these groups to delineate the characteristics of frequent ED users and examined the association between frequent ED use and hospitalization rates. Additionally, to identify latent subgroups of frequent ED users, we undertook a cluster analysis. RESULTS: We identified 259 frequent ED users and 297 non-frequent ED users from 9,546 patients who had visited the ED in 2015. Frequent ED users accounted for 8.2% of all ED visits. Frequent ED users tended to be older, have comorbidities, and be receiving public assistance compared to non-frequent ED users. There was a significant association between frequent ED use and higher hospitalization rates, which was partially attributable to (older) age and comorbidities. In the cluster analysis, we identified four subgroups of frequent ED users: (i) older patients with malignant tumors and the highest hospitalization rates, (ii) patients with mental illnesses and the lowest hospitalization rates, (iii) patients who were at risk of cardiovascular diseases, (iv) others. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent ED users tended to be older and have comorbidities. Four latent subgroups of frequent ED users were identified.

Escherichia coli Sterilization Using a Light-Emitting Diode and Methylene Blue.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The prevalence of pathogenic Escherichia coli as well as E. coli O157 and antibiotic- resistant bacteria has increased. This study aimed to examine the effect of methylene blue (MB) with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) against E. coli using photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: MB was basified using NaHCO3. E. coli and basic MB were smeared on the culture media followed by irradiation using a red light-emitting diode (LED) at 660 nm. Energy densities of 5, 10, 15, and 20 J/cm2 were applied to the culture medium.After 24 h, the bactericidal effect of basic MB with LED irradiation was determined based on the bacterial growth. RESULTS: The basic effect was observed with 1%-6% of NaHCO3 at 5 J/cm2.This effect increased between 1% and 2% of NaHCO3 at 10 J/cm2 and 15 J/cm2, whereas decreased at the NaHCO3 concentrations of > 2%. Moreover, this effect decreased at an energy density of 20 J/cm2. The biphasic basic effect on bactericidal activity was observed between pH 8.6-9.0. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, PACT using basic MB may be an effective method for pathogenic E. coli sterilization.

IFN-ß Improves Sepsis-related Alveolar Macrophage Dysfunction and Postseptic Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome-related Mortality.

IFN-ß is reported to improve survival in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), possibly by preventing sepsis-induced immunosuppression, but its therapeutic nature in ARDS pathogenesis is poorly understood. We investigated the therapeutic effects of IFN-ß for postseptic ARDS to better understand its pathogenesis in mice. Postseptic ARDS was reproduced in mice by cecal ligation and puncture to induce sepsis, followed 4 days later by intratracheal instillation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to cause pneumonia with or without subcutaneous administration of IFN-ß 1 day earlier. Sepsis induced prolonged increases in alveolar TNF-α and IL-10 concentrations and innate immune reprogramming; specifically, it reduced alveolar macrophage (AM) phagocytosis and KC (CXCL1) secretion. Ex vivo AM exposure to TNF-α or IL-10 duplicated cytokine release impairment. Compared with sepsis or pneumonia alone, pneumonia after sepsis was associated with blunted alveolar KC responses and reduced neutrophil recruitment into alveoli despite increased neutrophil burden in lungs (i.e., "incomplete alveolar neutrophil recruitment"), reduced bacterial clearance, increased lung injury, and markedly increased mortality. Importantly, IFN-ß reversed the TNF-α/IL-10-mediated impairment of AM cytokine secretion in vitro, restored alveolar innate immune responsiveness in vivo, improved alveolar neutrophil recruitment and bacterial clearance, and consequently reduced the odds ratio for 7-day mortality by 85% (odds ratio, 0.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.82; P = 0.045). This mouse model of sequential sepsis → pneumonia infection revealed incomplete alveolar neutrophil recruitment as a novel pathogenic mechanism for postseptic ARDS, and systemic IFN-ß improved survival by restoring the impaired function of AMs, mainly by recruiting neutrophils to alveoli.

Impact of hospital volume on mortality in patients with severe torso injury.

BACKGROUND: Whether a positive volume-outcome relationship exists in the context of trauma remains controversial. Heterogeneity in the definition of hospital volume in previous studies is one of the main reasons for this inconclusiveness. We investigated whether hospital volume is associated with mortality in patients with severe torso injury using two different definitions of hospital volume. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in Japan. Patients who were admitted to tertiary emergency centers with severe torso injury and underwent emergency surgery or interventional radiology treatment for the torso injury upon admission from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2014 were included. Hospital volume was defined as the annual number of admissions with severe torso injury (HV-torso) or the annual number of total trauma admissions (HV-all). The main outcome was 28-d mortality. Multivariable logistic regression models fitted with generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate relationships between hospital volume and 28-d mortality. RESULTS: Overall, 7725 patients were included. The 28-d mortality rate was 15.3%. The HV-torso was significantly associated with reduced 28-d mortality (adjusted odds ratio = 0.59; 95% confidence interval = 0.44-0.79). However, there was no significant association between the HV-all and mortality (adjusted odds ratio = 1.02; 95% confidence interval = 0.72-1.46). CONCLUSIONS: The HV-torso was significantly associated with reduced mortality in patients with severe torso injury. In contrast, the HV-all had no significant relationship with their mortality. Regionalization of trauma care for severe torso injury may be beneficial for patients with severe torso injury.

Relationship between hospital volume and outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury: A retrospective observational study using a national inpatient database in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between hospital volume and outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not completely understood in a real clinical setting. We investigated whether patients admitted with TBI achieved better outcomes in high-volume hospitals than in low-volume hospitals using a national inpatient database in Japan. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used the Diagnosis Combination Procedure database in Japan. We included patients with TBI admitted to hospitals with a Japan Coma Scale (JCS) score ≥2 between April 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014. Hospital volume was defined as the annual number of all admissions with TBI in individual hospitals. The hospital volume was categorized into four volume groups: low (≤60 admissions per hospital), medium-low (61-120 admissions per hospital), medium-high (121-180 admissions per hospital) and high (≥181 admissions per hospital). The outcomes of interest included 28-day mortality and survival discharge with complete dependency defined as a Barthel Index score of 0 at discharge. We used multivariate logistic regression models fitted with generalized estimating equations to evaluate relationships between the hospital volume and the outcomes. The hospital volume was evaluated both as categorical variables defined above and as continuous variables. RESULTS: The analysis dataset consisted of 20,146 eligible patients. Of these, 2,784 died within 28days (13.8%) and 3,409 were completely dependent among 16,996 patients discharged alive (20.1%). Multivariate analyses found that there was no significant difference between the high-volume and low-volume groups for 28-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-1.06 for the high-volume group) or complete dependency at discharge (adjusted OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.71-1.23 for the high-volume group). The results were the same when the hospital volume was evaluated as a continuous variable. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital volume did not appear to influence outcomes in patients with TBI. High-volume hospitals may not be necessarily beneficial for patients with TBI exhibiting impaired consciousness as a whole.

Observation of Zn-photoprotoporphyrin red Autofluorescence in human bronchial cancer using color-fluorescence endoscopy.

BACKGROUND: We observed red autofluorescence emanating from bronchial cancer lesions using a sensitive color-fluorescence endoscopy system. We investigated to clarify the origin of the red autofluorescence. METHODS: The wavelengths of the red autofluorescence emanating from lesions were measured in eight patients using a spectrum analyzer and compared based on pathologic findings. Red autofluorescence at 617.3, 617.4, 619.0, and 617.1 nm was emitted by normal bronchus, inflamed tissue, tissue exhibiting mild dysplasia, and malignant lesions, respectively. Protoporphyrin, uroporphyrin, and coproporphyrin, the major porphyrin derivatives in human blood, were purchased to determine which porphyrin derivative is the source of red fluorescence when acquired de novo. We synthesized photoporphyrin, Zn-protoporphyrin and Zn-photoprotoporphyrin from protoporphyrin. RESULTS: Coproporphyrin and uroporphyrin emitted only weak fluorescence. Fluorescence was emitted by our synthesized Zn-photoprotoporphyrin at 625.5 nm and by photoprotoporphyrin at 664.0 nm. CONCLUSIONS: From these results, we conclude that Zn-photoprotoporphyrin was the source of the red autofluorescence observed in bronchial lesions. Zn-protoporphyrin is converted to Zn-photoprotoporphyrin by radiation with excitation light. Our results suggest that red autofluorescence emanating from Zn-photoprotoporphyrin in human tissues could interfere with photodynamic diagnosis using porphyrin derivatives such as Photofrin® and Lazerphyrin® with a sensitive endoscopy system, because color cameras cannot differentiate Zn-photoprotoporphyrin red fluorescence from that of other porphyrin derivatives.

Development and validation of a new ICD-10-based trauma mortality prediction scoring system using a Japanese national inpatient database.

INTRODUCTION: To develop and validate a new trauma mortality prediction scoring system based on International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes, using a Japanese administrative claims and discharge abstract database. METHODS: This retrospective observational study used the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. Injuries were categorised into 33 groups with 5 additional groups based on injury sites and types. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed for in-hospital mortality in a derivation cohort after adjusting for the 38 groups, patient's sex, age and Charlson Comorbidity Index score. Each variable was assigned a score that was equal to the value of the regression coefficient. The new severity score was defined as the sum of the scores. The new scoring system was tested in a validation cohort. RESULTS: The mortality rates were 2.4% (9270/393 395) and 2.5% (8778/349 285) in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. The area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) of the new scoring system was 0.887 (95% CI 0.884 to 0.890) in the validation cohort. Subgroup analyses showed that the scoring system retained high predictive performance both for patients <65 years (AUROC 0.934, 95% CI 0.928 to 0.939) and for elderly patients at the age of ≥65 years (AUROC 0.825, 95% CI 0.820 to 0.829). CONCLUSIONS: A new ICD-10-based injury severity scoring system was developed and validated. Further studies are required to validate the scoring system in other databases.

Embedded-structure template for electronic records affects patient note quality and management for emergency head injury patients: An observational pre and post comparison quality improvement study.

Along with article-based checklists, structured template recording systems have been reported as useful to create more accurate clinical recording, but their contributions to the improvement of the quality of patient care have been controversial. An emergency department (ED) must manage many patients in a short time. Therefore, such a template might be especially useful, but few ED-based studies have examined such systems.A structured template produced according to widely used head injury guidelines was used by ED residents for head injury patients. The study was conducted by comparing each 6-month period before and after launching the system. The quality of the patient notes and factors recorded in the patient notes to support the head computed tomography (CT) performance were evaluated by medical students blinded to patient information.The subject patients were 188 and 177 in respective periods. The numbers of patient notes categorized as "CT indication cannot be determined" were significantly lower in the postintervention term (18% → 9.0%), which represents the patient note quality improvement. No difference was found in the rates of CT performance or CT skip without clearly recorded CT indication in the patient notes.The structured template functioned as a checklist to support residents in writing more appropriately recorded patient notes in the ED head injury patients. Such a template customized to each clinical condition can facilitate standardized patient management and can improve patient safety in the ED.

Ozagrel for Patients With Noncardioembolic Ischemic Stroke: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Ozagrel sodium (ozagrel), a thromboxane A2 synthesis inhibitor, is used for ischemic stroke patients in several countries, despite a lack of strict evidence of its benefits. We investigated whether ozagrel was beneficial for patients with atherothrombotic stroke or lacunar infarction. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database in Japan. We identified patients with atherothrombotic stroke or lacunar infarction who were admitted to 781 hospitals from July 1, 2010 to March 31, 2012. Propensity score-matched analyses were performed separately for patients with atherothrombotic stroke and those with lacunar infarction, which balanced differences in baseline characteristics between patients who received ozagrel (ozagrel group) and those who did not (control group) in each stroke subtype. The modified Rankin Scale scores at discharge and occurrence of hemorrhagic complications after admission were compared between the ozagrel and control groups. RESULTS: After the propensity score matching, 2726 pairs of patients with atherothrombotic stroke and 1612 pairs of patients with lacunar infarction were analyzed. Ordinal logistic regression analyses showed that ozagrel use was not significantly associated with modified Rankin Scale score at discharge in patients with atherothrombotic stroke (odds ratio: .99; 95% confidence interval: .88-1.11) or in those with lacunar infarction (odds ratio: 1.00; 95% confidence interval: .87-1.16). The occurrence of hemorrhagic complications did not differ significantly between the ozagrel and control groups. CONCLUSION: The present study suggested that ozagrel was safe to use but did not improve functional outcomes in patients with atherothrombotic or lacunar infarction.

Recombinant thrombomodulin for secondary thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

In the pathogenesis of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), reductions in the enzyme activity of ADAMTS13, which cuts ultralarge von Willebrand multimers, generates shear stress on the microvascular endothelium, leading to platelet aggregation and the formation of a thrombus. ADAMTS13 activity is markedly decreased in typical TTP, but is only mildly reduced in secondary TTP, which concomitantly develops with primary disease. The latter develops with septic disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and often causes organ failure. Recombinant thrombomodulin (rTM) is a drug that is used to treat DIC and may also remit TTP because it improves vascular endothelial dysfunction. Therefore, we herein investigated the efficacy of rTM in patients treated for the pathology of secondary TTP. Patients who were admitted to the Emergency and Critical Care Center of our hospital and met the following conditions were extracted and retrospectively analyzed: hemolytic anemia accompanied by fragmented red blood cells (Hb < 12 g/dL or lower); thrombocytopenia (<100 × 10/µL); and ADAMTS13 activity <50%. Sixteen patients were included and accompanied by Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) stage 2 or more severe nephropathy and DIC. Eleven and 5 patients treated with and without rTM (the rTM and non-rTM treatment groups, respectively) were compared, and no significant difference was noted in their basic characteristics, such as background disease and severity. No significant difference was observed in survival rates; however, the platelet count, which is an important outcome of treatments for TTP, significantly increased in the rTM treatment group: 3.3 ±â€Š2.6→11.3 ±â€Š14.6 versus 3.5 ±â€Š3.7→5.7 ±â€Š3.9 (×1000/µL) (P = 0.034). Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura originally requires invasive treatments and its prognosis is not favorable. Blood thrombomodulin levels also markedly increase due to vascular endothelial dysfunction, whereas rTM alleviates vascular endothelial dysfunction in TTP patients with high blood TM levels, suggesting the importance of administering rTM. Thus, rTM may be effective for secondary TTP and may be adopted as adjuvant therapy.

Switching therapy from intravenous beta blocker to bisoprolol transdermal patch for atrial fibrillation tachycardia.

Beta-blockers are important for severe-status patients with atrial fibrillation-related tachycardia. Beta 1-selective intravenous injection are routinely used, but long-term administration is difficult due to cost-performance- or management-related issues. A bisoprolol patch, a beta-blocker to be percutaneously absorbed, recently became commercially available in Japan. As it may facilitate effective absorption and a mild elevation of the blood concentration, we retrospectively analyzed 16 patients with atrial fibrillation-related tachycardia who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Hitachi General Hospital Emergency and Critical Care Center, and underwent switching therapy from landiolol to a bisoprolol patch. For switching, the bisoprolol patch (4 mg) was attached to each patient. The bisoprolol patch was introduced 88 h after the start of landiolol administration, when the rate was approximately 3 µg/kg/min. Landiolol injection was combined with bisoprolol for 15.4 ± 17.5 h. Switching therapy was successful in all subjects. The introduction of the bisoprolol patch did not induce any significant changes in the blood pressure or heart rate. After the completion of landiolol administration, there were also no significant changes in either parameter. There were no adverse events. In severe-status patients, switching therapy from landiolol injection to the bisoprolol patch can be conducted safely, and might be useful for heart-rate control.

Lethal ventricular tachycardia triggered after femoral fracture repair in an obese man with insulin-resistant diabetes.

An obese man (height, 178 cm; weight, 160 kg; body mass index, 50.5 kg/m2) with a history of recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT), cardiomyopathy, coronary sclerosis, and insulin-resistant diabetes suffered a right femur fracture in a vehicular accident. His fracture was repaired the following day, but shortly after surgery, his serum potassium (K+) level increased, presumably due to K+ leakage from the injured muscles, leading to persistent VT and death. An autopsy revealed severe cardiac hypertrophy, moderate coronary sclerosis, and histological findings of myocardial hypercontraction, but not myoglobin-related renal failure, pulmonary thrombosis, lipid emboli, or inflammation. The hyperkalemia was not corrected by glucose-insulin infusion and led to the death of the patient due to the preexisting cardiomyopathy, coronary sclerosis, and a predisposition to VT. In addition to the autopsy, the analysis of the clinical course was indispensable for determining the cause of death as hyperkalemia-related VT.

Cardiac Variation of Internal Jugular Vein for the Evaluation of Hemodynamics.

Evaluations of intravascular fluid volume are considered to be one of the most important assessments in emergency and intensive care. Focusing on pulse-induced variation of the internal jugular vein (IJV) area, i.e., cardiac variation, we investigated its correlation with various hemodynamic indices using newly developed software. Software that automatically can track and analyze the IJV during ultrasonography was developed. Eleven healthy patients were subjected to an exercise load to increase their stroke volume (SV) and a dehydration load to decrease their central venous pressure (CVP). The cardiac variation in the area of the IJV, CVP, the SV and the respiratory variation in the inferior vena cava (IVC) were evaluated. The exercise protocol increased the patients' mean SV by 14.5 ± 3.7 mL, and the dehydration protocol caused their mean CVP to fall by 3.75 ± 0.33 cm H2O, which resulted in the collapse index (max IJV area - min IJV area/max IJV area) changing from 0.32 ± 0.04 to 0.44 ± 0.06 and 0.49 ± 0.04, respectively (p < 0.05). The SV exhibited a strong positive correlation with the collapse index (r = 0.59, p = 0.006), and CVP showed a strong positive correlation with the body height-adjusted mean area of the IJV (r = 0.72, p < 0.001). Cardiac variation in the area of the great veins is considered to be induced by venous return to the right atrium under negative pressure. It is possible that intravascular dehydration can be detected and hemodynamic indices, such as CVP and SV, can be estimated by evaluating cardiac variation in the area of the IJV.

Association of initial rhythm with neurologically favorable survival in non-shockable out-of-hospital cardiac arrest without a bystander witness or bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

BACKGROUND: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has a predominantly non-shockable rhythm. Non-shockable rhythm, and the absence of a bystander witness or bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are associated with poor outcomes. However, the association between the type of non-shockable rhythm and outcomes is not well known. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between the initial rhythm and neurologically favorable outcomes after non-shockable OHCA without a bystander witness or bystander CPR. METHODS: In a nationwide, population-based, cohort study, we analyzed 213,984 adult OHCA patients with a non-shockable rhythm who had neither a bystander witness nor bystander CPR. They were identified through the Japanese national OHCA registry data from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2010. The primary outcome was neurologically favorable survival. RESULTS: Among 213,984 patients, the initial rhythm was Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA) in 31,179 patients (14.6%) and Asystole in 182,805 patients (85.4%). The neurological outcome was more favorable in PEA than in Asystole (1.4% vs. 0.2%, p<0.0001). After adjusting for age, sex, etiology of arrest, epinephrine administration, advanced airway management, time from call to contact with patient, and calendar year, PEA was associated with an increased neurologically favorable survival rate (odds ratio 7.86; 95% confidence interval 6.81-9.07). In subgroup analysis stratified by age group (18-64, 65-84, or ≥85years), the neurologically favorable survival rate was ≥1% in PEA, even for patients aged ≥85years, but <1% in Asystole among all age groups. CONCLUSION: PEA and Asystole should not be considered to be identical to non-shockable rhythm, but rather should be clearly distinguished from each other from the perspective of quantitative medical futility.

Quantitative analysis of high plasma lactate concentration in ED patients after alcohol intake.

INTRODUCTION: Plasma lactate concentration is known to increase after alcohol intake. However, this increase has rarely been analyzed quantitatively in emergency department (ED) settings. Evaluating plasma lactate elevation in ED patients after alcohol intake is important because it can affect patients' evaluation based on the plasma lactate level. METHODS: This study analyzed venous lactate concentrations of 196 continuous patients presented to our ED after alcohol intake. The control group comprised 219 successive ED patients without alcohol intake. Patients who had conditions that might induce lactate elevation were excluded from both groups. RESULTS: Venous lactate concentration was significantly higher in the alcohol intake group (2.83 mmol/L; 95% confidence interval, 2.69-2.96 mmol/L) than in the control group (1.65 mmol/L; 95% confidence interval, 1.53-1.77 mmol/L; P<.05). Lactate concentrations exceeding 3 mmol/L and exceeding 4 mmol/L were found, respectively, in 41.8% and 12.2% of the alcohol intake group compared with in 8.7% and 2.3% of the control group (P<.05). Lactate concentrations do not correlate with patients' level of consciousness. Therefore, a higher plasma ethanol level is apparently unrelated to elevated lactate. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Analyses show that plasma lactate concentration is significantly higher in ED patients after alcohol intake and to a greater degree than previously reported, even in patients without previously known alcohol-related diseases. Emergency department physicians must be careful when interpreting the lactate level of the patients with alcohol intake.