• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.115-119
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• 2008

Purpose: Abrupt abstinence from alcohol in cause of chronic alcohol addiction can trigger alcohol withdrawal syndrome. The authors studied the effect of post-operative alcohol withdrawal syndrome in patients who require intensive care due to trauma. Methods: For the study group, we selected 70 patients who had undergone emergency surgery from May 2003 to March 2007 due to trauma and who had been treated with prophylactic thiamine. Data was collected retrospectively. We excluded those who extended their hospital stay for other than traumatic causes, those who died within 3 days of surgery after trauma, those who transferred to other institutions, and those who received a psychiatric diagnosis. Patient groups were determined by the existence or the non-existence of withdrawal syndrome. Age, sex, injury mechanism, mortality, complications, durations of hospital stay and intensive care, use of mechanical ventilator, and sedative use were investigated. A Chi-square test and The Mann-Whitney method were used for statistical analysis in this study. Results: Twenty-four (24) patients from the 58 who had an ISS of 16 or more showed alcohol withdrawal syndrome, and men were shown to be affected with the syndrome significantly more than women. Although ISS was higher in the group with alcohol withdrawal syndrome, statistically, the difference was not significant (P<0.08). The total hospital stay in the patient group with alcohol withdrawal syndrome was on average 10 days longer. However, the difference was not significant (P<0.054). The duration of intensive care in the patient group with alcohol withdrawal syndrome was significantly longer (P<0.029). The patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome showed no significant difference in the duration of mechanical ventilator use (P<0.783), or in the duration of sedative use (P<0.284). Respiratory distress, pneumonia, upper airway infection, sepsis, acute renal failure, and mortality in the alcohol withdrawal syndrome group were investigated, but no statistically significant difference were noted. Conclusion: We found that the duration of intensive care in chronic alcohol abusers was longer due to the development of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. We also discovered that, when the patients overcame the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome after intensive care, no difference was found in the frequency of developing complications, the morbidity, and the mortality. Therefore, we conclude that intensive care in trauma patients who are chronic alcohol abusers decreases the incidence of complications found in patients with post-operative alcohol withdrawal syndrome and does not adversely impact the prognoses for those patients.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.219-226
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• 1999

Objectives : The aims of this study were to evaluate changes in plasma superoxide dismutase(SOD) activities in alcohol depedence, to find out variables to influence on the SOD activities, and finally to identify the correlation of SOD activities with the alcohol-associated cognitive disorders. Methods : For 24 male alcoholics and 21 healthy male controls, plasma SOD activities were measured by spectrophotometry on 1-2 wks after alcohol withdrawal. Structured interviews and laboratory tests were also performed. Results : 1) Upon comparing SOD activities between controls and alcoholics, the SOD activities were significantly(p<0.01) lower in alcoholics($0.308{\pm}0.140$ units/mL) than in healthy controls($0.313{\pm}0.086$ units/mL). 2) Upon comparing SOD activities according to the presence of alcohol-related cognitive disorders, the SOD activities were significantly(p<0.05) lower in alcoholics with cognitive disorders($0.247{\pm}0.049$ units/mL) than in alcoholics without cognitive disorders($0.317{\pm}0.148$ units/mL). 3) Upon comparing SOD activities according to the presence of alcoholic polyneuropathy or alcohol withdrawal seizure, the SOD activities showed no significant differences between alcoholics with polyneuropathy or epilepsy and those without. 4) Upon analyzing variables influencing on the SOD activities in alcoholics, the SOD activities had the negative correlation with hemoglobin(${\gamma}=-0.433$) and severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms(${\gamma}=-0.375$). 5) Upon comparing variables according to the presence of alcohol-related cognitive disorders, the occurrence of alcoholic polyneuropathy(p<0.05) and blood phosphorus concentrations(p<0.01) were significantly higher in alcoholics with cognitive disorders than those without. 6) Upon analyzing an association between SOD activities and variables in alcoholics with cognitive disorders, the SOD activities were positively correlated with the onset age(${\gamma}=0.995$), and negatively correlated with the severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms(${\gamma}=-0.996$). Conclusions : Lower SOD activities in alcohol dependence suggested alcohol-associated cognitive disorders and alcohol withdrawal symptoms might be caused by oxidative stress.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2004

Objective:Nitric oxide(NO) has been known to be associated with tolerance and preference to alcohol. It has also been known to affect various alcohol drinking behavior, alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol- induced brain damage. The purpose of this study was to determine the difference, among alcohol dependence group, alcohol drinking group and abstinence group, in serum concentration of nitrite, a stable metabolite of NO, and it's relationship to clinical and biochemical markers of alcoholism. Methods:Forty subjects diagnosed as alcohol dependence according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria were evaluated for the clinical characteristics and biochemical markers of alcohol dependence including nitrite with their CIWA-Ar scores checked just after admission. Thirty-nine healthy controls were also evaluated, divided into twenty-three alcohol drinking group and sixteen abstinence group. Clinical characteristics were evaluated by CIWA-Ar, CAGE and AUDIT questionnaires. Aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma glutamyltransferase(GGT) and mean corpuscular volume(MCV) were used as the biochemical markers of alcohol dependence. Serum nitrite concentrations were measured by Griess reaction. Results:1) The concentrations of nitrite in alcohol dependence patients were not different from those in the control subjects. 2) There were no significant association between the nitrite concentrations and the CIWA-Ar scores in alcohol dependence patients. 3) Nitrites are significantly increased in alcohol dependence group and alcohol drinking group compared with abstinence group. Conclusions:These findings suggest that serum nitrite concentration has no relation with alcohol withdrawal symptoms, but alcohol drinking increases serum nitrite concentration influenced by general condition of the body.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.495-501
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• 2001

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome includes two or more of the following symptoms: autonomic hyperactivity, increased hand tremor, insomnia, nausea or vomiting, hallucinations of illusions, psychomotor agitation, anxiety, grand mal seizures. Symptoms are usually relieved by administering brain depressant. In oriental medicine, Ju sang correspond to alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Galhwahaesung-tang has been used for the treatment of Ju sang. The authors treated 2 cases of alcohol withdrawal syndome with Galhwahaesung-tang and symptoms are markedly improved. So, We report these case with a brief review of related literatures.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.583-592
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• 2023

Background: Alcohol is one of the most commonly used psychoactive drugs. Due to its addictive characteristics, many people struggle with the side effects of alcohol. Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is a traditional herbal medicine that is widely used to treat various health problems. However, the effects and mechanisms of KRG in alcohol-induced responses remain unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of KRG in alcohol-induced responses. Methods: We investigated two aspects: alcohol-induced addictive responses and spatial working memory impairments. To determine the effects of KRG in alcohol-induced addictive responses, we performed conditioned place preference tests and withdrawal symptom observations. To assess the effects of KRG in alcohol-induced spatial working memory impairment, Y-maze, Barnes maze, and novel object recognition tests were performed using mice after repeated alcohol and KRG exposure. To investigate the potential mechanism of KRG activity, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and western blot analysis were performed. Results: KRG-treated mice showed dose-dependent restoration of impaired spatial working memory following repeated alcohol exposure. Furthermore, withdrawal symptoms to alcohol were reduced in mice treated with KRG and alcohol. The PKA-CREB signaling pathway was activated after alcohol administration, which was reduced by KRG. However, the levels of inflammatory cytokines were increased by alcohol and decreased by KRG. Conclusion: Taken together, KRG may alleviate alcohol-induced spatial working memory impairments and addictive responses through anti-neuroinflammatory activity rather than through the PKA-CREB signaling pathway.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.107-116
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• 2006

Delirium Tremens is the most terrible and dramatic syndrome in Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome. Delirium Tremens is one of acute psychiatric symptoms and happens that a chronic drinker is suddenly off drinking for any reasons. In Oriental medicine, Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome is comprised in a category of Jusang(酒傷). In this case, we described a 53-year old man who diagnosed as Delirium tremens. He suffered mental derangement and headache, and his condition was improved through oriental medical treatment.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.249-252
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• 2023

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare but fatal condition, with a high mortality rate. NMS is characterized by altered mental status, fever, myoclonus, autonomic dysfunctions, and elevated creatinine phosphokinase. The clinical manifestations may be confused with alcohol-related symptoms, trauma, sepsis, postoperative agitation, or malignant hyperthermia. A 69-year-old male patient with alcohol withdrawal was admitted to the operating theatre to rule out septic shock due to mesenteric injury after multiple trauma. He was suspected NMS with abrupt increase body temperature to 41.7℃ after haloperidol administration. Active cooling and rapid fluid infusion was done during anesthesia. Delayed diagnosis and treatment of NMS lead to catastrophic result. Therefore, if the patient's past medical history is unknown or clinical symptoms develop that are suggestive of NMS, early treatment must be considered.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2007

Recently, the lifetime prevalence rate of alcoholism in Korea shows to be quite higher than that in American, European and Asian countries indicating approximately 11 %. Also prevalence rate of male adult alcoholism in total inpatient of a polyclinic hospital shows to be very high indicating 16.5 % to 38.2 %, and from this result it is could be supposed that considerable physical diseases are related with alcoholic problem. According to the disorder related with alcohol is one of the most important hygienic problems in our society. In spite of the development of medicine, there is no certain medication or method in the field of the adult diseases or cancers under the actual circumstances that foods and drugs have been taking approximately for the purpose of prevention; and from this viewpoint, functional foods proved to be physically effective compared to general foods have been developing and the natural substances that could increase the effectiveness of general food have been produced. Alcohol addiction has been inducing several social problems and according to the increasing trend following the development of society it is strongly required to develop the medication. Therefore the research regarding to the treatment for the alcohol addiction has been performed widely, and especially the attempt to developof new medication using herbal medicine has been performing as in the development of the medication for other diseases. This study was designed to investigate the effect of Glycyrrhizae Radix which is the representative herbal medicine and has been used widely in the preparation of herbal medicine on alcohol intake and alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.178-190
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• 2006

Objectives : We investigated the relationship of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms with genetic polymorphism among alcohol dependence patients. Method : The measuring instruments used in this study were the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol(CIWA-Ar). We analyzed DRD2 TaqI A polymorphism, dopamine transporter(DAT 1) polymorphism, and catechol-O-methyltransferase(COMT) polymorphism in 108 male alcoholics and 76 healthy controls. Results : The major findings was as follows. No significant differences for genotype distribution or allele frequency were revealed comparing controls and alcoholic patients. DRD2 Taq I : The subscale score of auditory hallucination among CIWA-Ar scale in homozygote was significantly higher than in heterozygote(OR=1.34). The total score of CIWA-Ar scale in heterozygote was significantly higher than in homozygote. DAT1 : In the subject without DAT-9 gene allele, it was significantly higher of the subscale score of sweating, anxiety among CIWA-Ar scale than in the subject with DAT-9 gene allele. And The total score of CIWA-Ar scale in the subject without DAT-9 gene allele was significantly higher than in the subject with DAT-9 gene allele. COMT : The total score of CIWA-Ar scale in heterozygote was significantly higher than in homozygote. Conclusion : Our results suggest the relationship between specific genetic factors and the withdrawal symptoms of alcohol dependent patients. As the candidate gene of the severity of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, DRD2 Taq1 gene was recommended.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.92-97
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• 1976

Upon feeding dried Ginseng to rats of either low-protein or high protein diet ethanol was administered intraperitoneally and disappearance rate blood alcohol was enzymatically measure. In terms of residual blood alcohol after a time lapse of 3.5 hours between intraperitonial administration and blood withdrawal neither ginseng nor ginseng plus 40% casein did improve the rate, of alcohol clearance but sexual difference was clearly demonstrated in favor of female rats. In the case of blood withdrawn only 2 hours after intraperitoneal injection of alcohol, the tendency of female superiority in alcohol clearance rate is demonstrated when a comparison is made among the groups fed with ginseng and this was particularly true is groups of rats fed with basal diet plus 1 percent ginseng residual blood ethanol being 15.4 mg/ml vs. 8.8 mg/ml. Liver homogenate alcohol dehydrogenase activity measured in terms of residual ethanol content after in vitro reaction on which a known amount of alcohol was added clearly demonstrated a male superiority in alcohol clearance.