ABSTRACT
BACKGROUD: It is generally acknowledged that a close relationship exists between chronic alcohol abuse and the occurrence of alcohol withdrawal seizure(AWS). About one third of AWS patients have been reported to be followed by delirium tremens (DT). OBJECTIVES: We assessed the factors that have influence on the development of DT in AWS patients. METHODS: We investigated clinical features and laboratory findings of 39 AWS patients who were admitted. The following factors were analyzed ; duration of alcohol intake, interval from last drinking to onset of AWS, interval from AWS to treatment, number of seizure, fever, laboratory findings (Mg, K, Na, Ca, P, respiratory alkalosis). RESULT: Fourteen patients developed DT(35.8%). There was fever in 36% of AWS patients with DT(5/14) and in 8% of AWS patients without DT(2/25). Number of seizure (p<.05) and interval from AWS to treatment(p<.01) showed statistically significant difference. But other factors were insignificant statistically. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that number of seizure and interval from AWS to treatment seem to be significantly related to the development of DT in AWS patients.
Subject(s)
Humans , Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium , Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures , Alcoholism , Delirium , Drinking , Fever , Risk Factors , Seizures , Seizures, FebrileABSTRACT
Although clectroencephalographic and clinical evidence of seizure activities during enfluran anesthesia have been documented in man, the incidence of post operative electro clinical partial seizure activity following enfluran anesthesia is rare phenomenon. We report a patient who developed post operative partial seizure with secondary generalized tonic clonic seizure that may have been related to the administration of enfluran.
