Laboratory Markers In Alcohol Withdrawal Patients With and Without Delirium Tremens - A Comparative Study

BACKGROUND: Delirium Tremens (DT) causes high mortality among alcohol dependent, owing to cardiac arrhythmias & respiratory failure. The previous studies have shown that various risk factors are associated with the development of DT. Hypokalemia and Thrombocytopenia are more frequently observed in DT. The patients developing DT would also have Hypokalemia, and it could be due to activation of Na+/K+ATPase across the cell membrane & β2 stimulation by catecholamines, mainly adrenaline. Excessive alcohol consumption causes bone marrow toxicity resulting in reduced platelet production. In this study, we investigate the relationship between the DT and serum electrolytes level & platelet counts in our population. The findings can be used to detect the DT among the patients early, which could reduce mortality. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess and compare the platelet count, serum electrolytes levels of the alcohol withdrawal patients without & with DT. METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out in alcohol withdrawal patients with DT (45 cases) and without DT (45 cases) from identical socio-cultural backgrounds. The study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry, Madurai Medical College (MduMC) Hospital. The alcohol withdrawal state and DT were diagnosed clinically by utilizing ICD10 and the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale, Revised (CIWA-Ar). Investigations are carried out in the Biochemistry Lab, MduMC hospital. RESULTS: The serum K+ level & the platelet count are significantly low in DT patients (p<0.05) compared to non-DT patients. CONCLUSION: Patients with DT have significantly low Serum K+ and platelet counts than the patients without DT.