A Comparative Study of Serum Creatine Kinase Levels in Patients with Alcohol Dependence Syndrome having Complicated Withdrawal (Seizures/Delirium) and Uncomplicated Withdrawal

Abstract

Alcohol dependence syndrome encompasses physiological, behavioral, and cognitive symptoms, prioritizing alcohol use to an extreme degree. Withdrawal complications, such as delirium tremens (DT), pose significant health risks, with DT being potentially fatal in up to 37% of cases, typically manifesting 72hours after alcohol cessation. Early AWS complications such as seizures and delirium tremens represent deadly risks to patient health so dependable biomarkers must be available for timely detection and management. The biochemical marker CK stands as a possible choice because it shows relationships with muscle injury and physiological stress. Research examined CK biomarker levels in alcohol dependent patients experiencing complex withdrawal syndrome (n = 48) and simple withdrawal syndrome (n = 54). The data revealed higher CK biomarker levels in patients experiencing complex withdrawal indicating potential usage as a cheap screening instrument for identifying high-risk groups. Results demonstrated significantly higher CK levels in complicated withdrawal (mean 298.14) compared to uncomplicated withdrawal (mean 130.48), with a p-value of 0.001. Additionally, CIWA and SADQ scores were notably higher in the complicated group, each with statistically significant p-values of 0.001. A strong correlation was observed between serum CK levels and CIWA scores (p = 0.001), highlighting serum CK as a potential marker for identifying withdrawal severity. This suggests that routine CK measurement upon admission could serve as a rapid, supplementary diagnostic tool to guide timely clinical interventions for varying states of alcohol withdrawal.