J Korean Geriatr Psychiatry.  2014 Oct;18(2):98-103. 10.0000/jkgp.2014.18.2.98.

The Relationship of Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium and Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms in Patients with Alcohol Dependence

• Lim JS
• Kim HJ
• Kim IK
• Kang EC
• Lee SM
• Kong BG
• Kang JW
• Moon JJ
• Jeon DW
• Jung DU

• KMID: 2334656
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jkgp.2014.18.2.98

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to analyze the clinical variables associated with occurrence of delirium tremens (DT) in inpatients with alcohol dependence initially admitted with diseases unrelated to alcohol.
METHODS
This study included 132 inpatients seeking treatment for medical problem with acute alcohol withdrawal. The cases were divided into two groups : with DT group (n=44), without DT group (n=88). We compared the epidemiologic data, alcohol withdrawal symptoms and serum analysis data between two groups. We used the logistic regression to predict risk factors for DT.
RESULTS
The DT group had more severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, more amount of drinking alcohol, more number of drinking per month, higher blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, amylase, C-reactive protein and lower serum total protein than the without-DT group. According to the result of a logistic regression, occurrence of DT showed correlation with the following factors : sweating, hallucination, agitation, amount of alcohol consumption, number of drinking per month.
CONCLUSION
Our study suggests development of DT was correlated with severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms, high BUN, creatinine and low total serum protein. Therefore, during assessment of alcohol dependent patients, clinicians should keep these parameters in mind in order to prevent DT.

Keyword

Alcohol withdrawal delirium; Risk factor

MeSH Terms

Alcohol Drinking
Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium*
Alcoholism*
Amylases
Blood Urea Nitrogen
C-Reactive Protein
Creatinine
Dihydroergotamine
Drinking
Hallucinations
Humans
Inpatients
Logistic Models
Risk Factors
Substance Withdrawal Syndrome*
Sweat
Sweating
Amylases
C-Reactive Protein
Creatinine
Dihydroergotamine