title: [Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome with Oxazepam or Clomethiazole - A Naturalistic Observational Study].
abstract: Whilst internationally benzodiazepines are first choice for treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, Germany has a long tradition with clomethiazole. This study explores effectiveness of clomethiazole versus oxazepam in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome within an observational, stratified, non-inferiority study in routine care. Main outcome criterion was severity of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome (Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome [AWS]) Scale in the first five days. Additionally, the association between the detoxification protocol (five vs. ten days) and AWS-Score was examined. 453 patients (74.2 % male, average age 47.1 years [± 9.2]) took part; 249 received oxazepam (55.0 %) and 204 clomethiazole (45.0 %). The average duration of inpatient treatment was 14.0 days (± 6.3) in both groups. The average AWS-score was lower in the oxazepam group compared to the clomethiazole group (50.0 [± 26.5] vs. 56.2 [± 31.5]; p < .05; effect size d = - .25). Patients with a shorter detoxification protocol had a lower AWS sum score compared to patients with a longer protocol (p < .001; d = - .46). In treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome in routine care oxazepam yields at least comparable results to clomethiazole.
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Suchtforschung der Universität Hamburg (ZIS), Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Verthein
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Suchtforschung der Universität Hamburg (ZIS), Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Abhängigkeitserkrankungen, Asklepios Klinik Nord - Ochsenzoll, Hamburg.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Abhängigkeitserkrankungen, Asklepios Klinik Nord - Ochsenzoll, Hamburg.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mautsch
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Suchtforschung der Universität Hamburg (ZIS), Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf.|Zentrum für Psychosoziale Medizin, Gesundheit Nord Klinikverbund Bremen.
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reimer
authors.affiliation: Zentrum für Interdisziplinäre Suchtforschung der Universität Hamburg (ZIS), Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf.|Klinik für Abhängigkeitserkrankungen, Asklepios Klinik Nord - Ochsenzoll, Hamburg.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Behrendt
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000188:drug therapy; D002719:Chlormethiazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010076:Oxazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D002719:Chlormethiazole; D010076:Oxazepam