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Published on: July 13, 2014
Age and Sex Differences in Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome.
Hayrunnisa Unlu1,2, Nan Zhang3, Asmaa Yehia4,5
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, AZ.
Summary
This study found that the traditional sex gap in alcohol withdrawal syndrome is narrowing. Older patients and women generally experienced less severe withdrawal symptoms and required lower medication doses.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Neuroscience
- Public Health
Background:
- Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is a common clinical concern.
- Understanding age and sex differences in AWS is crucial for effective treatment.
- Previous research suggests a significant sex gap in AWS severity and management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of alcohol withdrawal syndrome in women.
- To examine age and sex variations in the clinical presentation and hospital course of AWS.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study analyzed 16,190 hospitalizations from June 2019 to June 2022.
- Patients were stratified into four age groups (21-39, 40-64, 65-74, ≥75 years).
- The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol Scale, revised, was used to assess withdrawal severity.
Main Results:
- Older patients had lower blood alcohol concentration and slower onset of peak withdrawal.
- Men in the youngest age group reached peak withdrawal earlier and required higher benzodiazepine doses compared to women.
- Benzodiazepine doses decreased significantly with increasing age, with no sex differences in older adults or overall mortality.
Conclusions:
- The findings indicate a narrowing of the traditional sex gap in alcohol withdrawal.
- Age is a significant factor influencing AWS severity, peak manifestation time, and treatment needs.
- Clinical management of AWS should consider age-specific differences in presentation and benzodiazepine requirements.
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