4 research outputs found
Supplementary Material for: Comparison of Clomethiazole and Diazepam in the Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in Clinical Practice
<p><b><i>Background:</i></b> The objective of this retrospective study
was to compare the effectivity and tolerability of diazepam and
clomethiazole in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) in a
large clinical sample. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> The data of 566 patients
admitted to an intensive care psychiatric unit in Germany (2010-2014)
were evaluated. The course of withdrawal was analyzed on a matched
sample (<i>n</i> = 152) consisting of a diazepam group (<i>n</i> = 76) and a clomethiazole group (<i>n</i>
= 76). Medical assessment was based on a standardized point-based
symptom rating scale called AESB (Alkoholentzugssymptom-Bogen), a German
modified version of the Revised Clinical Institute Withdrawal
Assessment of Alcohol Scale (CIWA-Ar). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Although
the mean daily symptom reduction did not differ significantly, patients
treated with clomethiazole were treated significantly shorter and needed
less concomitant antipsychotic medication. Numbers of complications and
adverse events did not show significant differences. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b>
Both clomethiazole and diazepam were effective and equally safe in the
treatment of AWS. Clomethiazole provided a faster withdrawal and
required less concomitant antipsychotic medication and therefore might
be the more favorable option for patients and physicians. Taken into
account the methodological limitations of the study (retrospective
design, secondary matching, missing randomization, use of clomethiazole
as drug of first choice), further studies are needed to confirm this
result.</p