[The "alcohol-syndrome" from internal medical view (author's transl)]

A distict alcoholic withdrawal syndrome in chronic alcoholics cannot only be induced upon withdrawal of alcohol or dose reduction but also occurs upon continuous and long lasting consumption of larger quantities of alcohol. In the latter case we deal with an alcoholic predelirium which is characterized by simultaneous occurence of neurologic, vegetative and gastrointestinal disturbances as well as mental symptoms like anxiety, increased irritability and disturbance of sleep. In parallel to this alcoholic withdrawal syndrome from internal medical view a characteristic symptomatology can be observed in patients with chronic alcohol abuse. In most cases younger patients are concerned who, concomitantly with predelirant symptoms frequently display a labile hyperlipidemia and additional obesity, fatty liver, hyperlipidemia and often also hyperuricemia. Based on ten typical cases the combination of symptoms as described above is introduced. This combination can according to Feuerlein be defined as "alcohol-syndrome". The difficulties of diagnosis are shown because in many cases not the alcohol abuse but primarily vegetative and other functional disturbances dominate the clinical appearance. Additionally the pathogenetic connection between the described symptoms and alcohol abuse are discussed.