Abstract | PURPOSE: PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety alcoholic patients, enrolled within six hours of the initial alcohol-related seizure in a withdrawal episode, were randomly assigned to treatment with intravenous diphenylhydantoin (1,000 mg) or placebo. Seventy-one patients had a history of seizures during prior alcohol withdrawal episodes. Patients with a history of seizures unrelated to alcohol withdrawal were excluded. Drugs known to affect the seizure threshold or demonstrating cross-tolerance with alcohol were withheld. For each patient, the study endpoint was either (1) seizure recurrence or (2) a minimum 12-hour seizure-free observation period after completion of the study drug infusion. RESULTS: During the postinfusion observation period, six of 45 diphenylhydantoin-treated patients and six of 45 placebo-treated patients experienced at least one recurrent seizure. Equivalent diphenylhydantoin serum levels were measured in patients with and without subsequent seizures. There was no statistically significant difference between the response rates for the two treatments (p greater than 0.05). The 95% confidence interval for the difference in response probabilities was -14.0%, 14%. CONCLUSION:
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Authors | B K Alldredge, D H Lowenstein, R P Simon |
Journal | The American journal of medicine
(Am J Med)
Vol. 87
Issue 6
Pg. 645-8
(Dec 1989)
ISSN: 0002-9343 [Print] United States |
PMID | 2686433
(Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Adult
- Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium
(blood, drug therapy)
- Double-Blind Method
- Drug Administration Schedule
- Female
- Humans
- Infusions, Intravenous
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Phenytoin
(administration & dosage, blood, therapeutic use)
- Psychoses, Alcoholic
- Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
- Recurrence
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