Clinical characteristics and some blood biochemical indices in inpatients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome at Hai Phong Psychiatric Hospital in 2024

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical and paraclinical characteristics of alcohol withdrawal syndrome among inpatients at Hai Phong Psychiatric Hospital in 2024. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on patients diagnosed with alcohol withdrawal syndrome who were admitted for inpatient treatment at Hai Phong Psychiatric Hospital from March to December 2024. Results: All patients were male, with a mean age of 49.45 ± 6.21 years. A total of 67.8% reported drinking alcohol intermittently throughout the day. The average duration of alcohol use was 20.2 years, with an average daily consumption of 700 ml. The most common symptoms included hand tremors (100%), insomnia (100%), autonomic hyperactivity (93.5%), and delusions–hallucinations (70.9%). Short-term memory and attention impairments were found in 80.6% of patients. In terms of paraclinical findings: 100% of patients had elevated liver enzymes (GOT, GPT, GGT). Blood glucose levels were elevated, averaging 7.45 ± 3.39 mmol/L. Total bilirubin and direct bilirubin were also elevated, with mean values of 54.71 ± 43.15 µmol/L and 6.14 ± 4.45 µmol/L, respectively.  Conclusion: Alcohol withdrawal syndrome presents with diverse clinical manifestations, prominently including tremors, insomnia, behavioral disturbances, and delusions–hallucinations. Liver dysfunction was observed in the majority of patients. Greater attention should be paid to biochemical indicators for comprehensive assessment and effective treatment planning.