title: Risk factors for lethal outcome in patients with delirium tremens - psychiatrist's perspective: a nested case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to identify potential risk factors for lethal outcome in patients with delirium tremens (DT) treated in the psychiatric setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a nested case-control study, a total of 190 medical records of patients with DT hospitalized at the Psychiatric Clinic in Serbia between 2002 and 2011 were reviewed and analyzed. The characteristics of patients who died (cases) were compared with those who survived (controls). For each case, two controls (matched for age, gender, and year of hospitalization) were randomly chosen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences between cases and controls were found for serum potassium levels (p < 0.001), the number of hospitalizations (p < 0.001), and duration of hospitalization (p < 0.001). A significant association with lethal outcome was found for serum potassium levels even in the normal range (adjusted odds ratio 40.52; 95% CI 1.20, >1,000.00; p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even though the number and duration of psychiatric hospitalizations were identified as factors determining survival after admission for DT, only serum potassium levels were found to be significant. Patients with an increase in potassium (or absence of hypokalemia) may require more intensive treatment. Monitoring of serum levels of potassium is important not only as an indicator for replacement but also as an indicator of maladaptation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Clinical Pharmacology, Medical Faculty Military Medical Academy, University of Defence, Crnotravska 17, Belgrade 11000, Serbia. nece84@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ignjatovic-Ristic
authors.forename: Nemanja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rancic
authors.forename: Slobodan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Novokmet
authors.forename: Slobodan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jankovic
authors.forename: Srdjan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stefanovic