Characterizing Alcohol-Related Poison Center Calls: A 7-Year Descriptive Analysis

Poison centers are a well-established resource for the public and clinicians seeking guidance for accidental and intentional toxic exposures. However, poison center services are also frequently utilized for concerns related to alcohol misuse, despite alcohol not being the primary focus of traditional toxicology surveillance. Characterizing alcohol-related poison center calls may reveal underrecognized opportunities for surveillance and intervention. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of alcohol-related calls to the Alabama Poison Information Center (APIC).

We conducted a retrospective descriptive analysis of anonymized APIC call data from 2018 through 2024. Five independent reviewers coded alcohol-related cases and extracted variables including patient age, gender, intentionality of exposure, medical outcome (i.e. hospital versus intensive care unit admission), and presence of co-ingestants. Alcohol-related calls were summarized using descriptive statistics and annual trends were examined.

Of 34,371 total APIC calls during the study period, an average of 903 calls annually (2.62%) involved alcohol use. Patients in alcohol-related calls were more frequently female, with a mean age of 34 years. Most alcohol-related exposures were intentional (87.2%), including substance misuse or suicide attempts, while 9.9% were unintentional. Alcohol withdrawal accounted for approximately one to two calls annually. Among alcohol-related calls, 14.84% involved traditional alcoholic beverages alone, while 35.36% included psychiatric medication co-ingestion and 26.79% included over-the-counter medication co-ingestion. A total of 33.4% of alcohol-related calls resulted in intensive care unit admission. An increase in ethanol-related calls was observed during 2020 and 2021.

Alcohol-related cases represent a meaningful proportion of poison center call volume and are predominantly intentional, frequently involve medication co-ingestions, and commonly require intensive care unit admission. These findings suggest that poison centers may serve as an underutilized surveillance and intervention point for alcohol misuse and associated high-acuity presentations in emergency care.