Tollisen KH, Bjerva M, Hadley CL, et al. - Researchers performed this cross-sectional prospective analysis, to define patients with substance abuse-related admissions (abbreviated SARA) vs patients with non-SARA in a mixed medical and surgical ICU-population in Oslo, Norway. By means of a questionnaire, medical records and toxicology findings, they consecutively gathered the data. SARA was reported in 168 (20%) of 852 patients; including 102 (12%) alcohol-related and 66 (8%) drug-related. Relation with substance abuse was revealed in one in five ICU admissions. This ratio was approximately half for male patients aged 18-39. An impact of alcohol or drugs at the time of injury was observed in more than one third of the trauma patients. Compared with non-SARA patients, those with SARA exhibited significantly younger age, lower Charlson comorbidity index, and shorter length of stay. On adjusting for age, similar hospital mortality was observed (non-SARA as reference).