Introduction In Brazil, there are 125,000 hospitalizations a year for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) at a high socio-economic cost, causing serious and permanent sequelae, often associated with the use of alcohol, cocaine and marijuana.

Objective to discover the epidemiological characteristics of patients with moderate and severe TBI, treated at the Emergency Room of the Hospital of Clinics of the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), and their association with the use of alcohol, cocaine and marijuana.

Material and Methods saliva and urine samples were collected from 80 patients with moderate and severe TBI, aged ≥18 years, between September 2020 and December 2021. Research was made into the use of alcohol, cocaine and marijuana, using chromatographic immunoassay test kits.

Results A total of 28 cases (35%) were positive for alcohol, 22 cases for marijuana (27.5%) and 23 cases for cocaine (28.7%). The average age was 41 years old, with a predominance between 20 to 49 years old and of the male sex (90%). Accidents occurred mainly at night (52.5%) and on weekdays (65%). The most frequent cause of accident was transport (53.8%), followed by falls (22.5%) and aggression (16.2%). Of the transport accidents, motorcycle and automobiles accidents predominated (28.75%). Overall mortality was 16.2%, with zero positive cases for alcohol, 17.4% positive for cocaine and 27.3% positive for marijuana.

Conclusion we observed an association between TBI, alcohol, marijuana and cocaine, as well as an increase in cocaine and marijuana cases when compared with a study performed at this institution in 2003.

Introdução No Brasil, ocorrem 125 mil internações por ano por traumatismo cranioencefálico (TCE) com alto custo socioeconômico, causando sequelas graves e permanentes, muitas vezes associadas ao uso de álcool, cocaína e maconha.

Objetivo Conhecer as características epidemiológicas dos pacientes com TCE moderado e grave, atendidos no Pronto Socorro do Hospital de Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), e sua associação com o uso de álcool, cocaína e maconha.

Material e Métodos Foram coletadas amostras de saliva e urina de 80 pacientes com TCE moderado e grave, com idade entre 18 anos, entre setembro de 2020 e dezembro de 2021. Foi pesquisado o uso de álcool, cocaína e maconha, por meio de kits de testes cromatográficos de imunoensaio.

Resultados Um total de 28 casos (35%) foram positivos para álcool, 22 casos para maconha (27,5%) e 23 casos para cocaína (28,7%). A idade média foi de 41 anos, com predomínio entre 20 a 49 anos e do sexo masculino (90%). Acidentes ocorreram principalmente à noite (52,5%) e em dias úteis (65%). A causa mais frequente do acidente foi transporte (53,8%), seguida de quedas (22,5%) e agressões (16,2%). Dos acidentes de transporte predominaram os acidentes motociclísticos e automobilísticos (28,75%). A mortalidade geral foi de 16,2%, com zero casos positivos para álcool, 17,4% positivos para cocaína e 27,3% positivos para maconha.

Conclusão Observamos associação entre TCE, álcool, maconha e cocaína, bem como o aumento de casos de cocaína e maconha quando comparado com um estudo realizado nesta instituição em 2003.

Received: 18 October 2022

Accepted: 07 March 2023

Article published online:
17 November 2023

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