[Plasma electrolyte changes in chronic alcoholic patients with and without delirium tremens]

Alcoholism is widespread and a complicated problem in society. Examining alcoholic patients in emergency rooms it is noted that some of them develop delirium tremens. Usually this syndrome is frequent and has a good prognosis. However, some delirium tremens patients have bad prognosis showing electrolyte unbalance that should be treated. Different effects of acute and chronic alcohol administration on electrolyte plasmaa levels are described in the available literature. Although an electrolyte unbalance is often found in chronic alcoholism, usually no characteristic profile for electrolytes has been described and the question remains unanswered. This study reports electrolyte levels in chronic alcoholic patients with and without delirium tremens comparing them to non alcoholics. The reported data were obtained from chronic alcoholic patients seeking medical care in emergency rooms. Thus it is a naturalistic study, with the found alterations representing changes occurring in association with chronic alcoholism. Magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride levels were evaluated in plasm of three different groups: alcoholic patients presenting delirium tremens; chronic alcoholic patients; and a control group of non alcoholics. The group comparison showed: 1) Magnesium plasma levels were lower with DT and chronic alcoholics. 2) Sodium plasma levels were significantly diminished only in patients with DT. 3) Potassium plasma levels were significantly lower in patients with DT when the group values were compared with non alcoholics. 4) Chloride plasma levels remain unchanged in the 3 groups.