Prevalence of Severe Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome and Its Associated Factors among Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome Patients Receiving Psychiatric Consultation at The Emergency Department at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital: A Descriptive Study

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Published: Jun 30, 2026
Keywords:
alcohol withdrawal syndrome prevalence associated factors emergency department

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Thanawat Suharit
Department of Psychiatry, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society
Puntarik Srisawart
Department of Psychiatry, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome and identify factors associated with alcohol withdrawal in patients presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary hospital.


Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included 179 patients diagnosed with Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS) at the Emergency Department, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Severe AWS was defined by an AWS score >15, delirium tremens, withdrawal seizures, or physician diagnosis. Clinical history and laboratory data were analyzed using univariate analysis and multivariate analysis using Generalized Linear Model (GLM) with a Hierarchical approach to identify factors associated with severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome.


Results: The prevalence of severe AWS among patients receiving psychiatric consultation was 73.7% (n = 132 of 179). Multivariate analysis identified history of alcohol withdrawal seizures as the strongest factor associated with severe AWS (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR], 5.50; 95% CI, 1.75 - 24.76). Additionally, significantly inverse associations were identified for bicarbonate levels (AOR, 0.31 per 10 mmol/L increase; 95% CI, 0.13 - 0.69) and Platelets count (AOR, 0.58 per 100,000/μL increase; 95% CI, 0.38 - 0.87), indicating that lower levels of these markers were associated with severe AWS.


Conclusion: The prevalence of severe AWS in this cohort of patients receiving psychiatric consultation was high. History of alcohol withdrawal seizures, bicarbonate levels, and Platelets count were statistically significant factors associated with severe AWS. However, due to the retrospective cross-sectional design, these factors cannot be directly applied as predictors. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the direction of these associations and evaluate their predictive capability.

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How to Cite
Suharit, T., & Srisawart, P. (2026). Prevalence of Severe Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome and Its Associated Factors among Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome Patients Receiving Psychiatric Consultation at The Emergency Department at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital: A Descriptive Study. Journal of the Psychiatric Association of Thailand, 71(2), 187–201. retrieved from https://he01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/JPAT/article/view/284381
Issue
Vol. 71 No. 2 (2026): Journal of the Psychiatric Association of Thailand
Section
Original Articles
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Author Biography

Puntarik Srisawart, Department of Psychiatry, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society

Education and Training

1995                                     Sacred Heart Convent School Bangkok

2001                                     Triam Udomsuksa Pattanakarn School

2007                                     Doctor of Medicine (Second class Honors) Chiangmai University, Thailand

2010                                     Observer in Geriatric Psychiatry and obsessive compulsive disorder at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine

2011                                     Diplomate, Thai Board of Psychiatry, The Medical Council of Thailand

2019       Resident observership at Stanford Sleep Medicine Center, Stanford University, CA, USA

2019-2020             Research fellowship at Sleep Disorders Center, Neurological institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA

 

Professional Experience

2007-2008                            Internship, Loei hospital, Loei Thailand

2008-2011                            Psychiatric Resident, King Chulalongkorn  Memorial Hospital

2011-2017                            Psychiatrist, Ratchaburi Hospital

2011-2017                            Instructor, Ratchaburi Hospital Medical Education Center

2017-present                       Psychiatrist, department of psychiatry , King Chulalongkorn  Memorial Hospital

2017-present                      Psychiatrist , excellent center for sleep disorder , King Chulalongkorn  Memorial Hospital

2017-present                      Instructor, department of psychiatry , faculty of medicine , Chulalongkorn University

 

Further Training

2014                                     Cognitive Behavior Therapy: an Introduction and CBT Techniques for Common Disorder workshop, Centre for Educational Psychology, Foundation of Virtuous Youth

 

Awards and Success after Medical Study

  1. Consultant Psychiatrist in Quality of life improvement in patients with epilepsy and their family members, Ratchaburi hospital
  2. Chairman of Mental Health Service Plan, Somdej Phraphutthaloetla hospital
  3. Lecturer ‘Management of Psychiatric patient in community’, Ratchaburi hospital
  4. Lecturer ‘Basic psychopharmacology’, Ratchaburi hospital
  5. Lecturer ‘Assessment and screening of amphetamine use disorder’, Ratchaburi hospital

 

Research Experience

2011                                     Prevalence of mild cognitive impairment and related factor among outpatient with liver cirrhosis at the department of medicine, gastrointestinal clinic, King Chulalongkorn Memorial hospital (Thesis)

2018                                     Prevalence of depression in caregivers of dementia patients at dementia clinic, King Chulalongkorn Memorial hospital ( Chula Med J Vol.62 No.2018 )

2020                                     Cluster analysis in perimenopausal and menopausal women with insomnia, Cleveland Clinic ( Poster presentation, AASM 2020)

Members of medical profession society

2007                                     Member of The Medical Council of Thailand

2011                                     Member of The Royal college of Psychiatrists of Thailand

                                             Member of The Psychiatric Association of Thailand

                                             Member of Thai Society for Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry

                                             Member of Thai Society for Affective Disorders

2017                                     Member of Sleep Society of Thailand

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