ALCOHOLIC WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME AND SEIZURES

A study of 72 alcoholics, hospitalized for alcohol withdrawal syndrome , was undertaken to determine the incidence of seizures, their relatio nship with other withdrawal symptoms, the presence of brain atrophy an d the relationship of this last with withdrawal intensity severity. Si xty-seven (93%) were male and the mean age was 44.9 +/- 1.3 (mean +/- SEM) years. Thirty-three (46%) of the 72 patients had seizures at admi ssion, 10 of these developed minor withdrawal symptoms, in 18 delirium tremens ensued and 5 showed no symptoms of withdrawal. Thirty-nine (5 4%) had withdrawal syndrome without seizures. Twenty-one of these deve loped minor withdrawal syndrome and 18 delirium tremens. Seizures show ed no relationship with the other withdrawal manifestations, and in al l the cases preceded them. Our findings also show that alcoholics with seizures due to withdrawal are more prone to suffer seizures in their future withdrawal episodes, and that alcoholics who suffer morning wi thdrawal symptoms are prone to develop delirium tremens. In 46 patient s a CT scan was performed. Though the alcoholics showed ventricular an d sulcal enlargement, brain atrophy was similar when the seizure and n on-seizure groups or those with and without delirium tremens were comp ared. However, cortical and ventricular