RT Journal
A1 Bourdeaux C, Marsh AJ
T1 NO cheers yet for ethanol in traumatic brain injury
JF Archives of Surgery
JO Archives of Surgery
YR 2010
FD April 1
VO 145
IS 4
SP 403
OP 403
DO 10.1001/archsurg.2010.25
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archsurg.2010.25
AB 
We read with interest the study by Salim et al1 describing an association between serum ethanol levels and decreased mortality after traumatic brain injury. Unfortunately, the authors failed to comment on the degree to which the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score at presentation is affected by ethanol intoxication. The presence of ethanol could decrease the GCS score, and intoxicated patients may enter a poor prognostic risk group independent of the severity of their brain injury. This will exaggerate the impact of ethanol on outcome.