RT Journal
A1 Karis R
T1 MAnagement of alcohol withdrawal syndromes
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 1979
FD August 1
VO 139
IS 8
SP 945
OP 945
DO 10.1001/archinte.1979.03630450087036
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1979.03630450087036
AB To the Editor.— 
    Thompson, in the February 1978 Archives (138:278-283), reviews six studies1-6 of the treatment of alcohol withdrawal and concludes that "sedatives stopped progression of early withdrawal to... DTs [delirium tremens]." My analysis of the same six studies yields different results.Two of these studies1,6 are not applicable to the point in question. One report6 evaluates the treatment of DTs and not its prevention. In the other article,1 the frequency of occurrence of DTs is not clear.The results of the remaining four studies are summarized in the Table. Obviously, it is difficult to combine the results of such disparate studies with varying experimental designs, utilization of different dosages, times, routes of administration of medication, and other such considerations. As is evident from the Table, no statistically significant differences are found between the various types of treatment.Many theoretical considerations are relevant to the lack