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 atrophy were related to the ex
istence of previous episodes of withdrawal syndrome.