Alcohol Withdrawal Cases As a Consequence of COVID-19: A Clinical Analysis

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has been followed by the shutting down of bars and liquor shops. This condition has led to the acute unavailability of alcohol, and subsequently increasing the number of cases of alcohol withdrawal. 

Objectives: This paper reports the clinical profile of cases of alcohol withdrawal presented to the psychiatry department following the non-availability of alcohol due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Methods: The patients were referred to the psychiatry department from the emergency medicine department and some of them directly to the psychiatry department. Thirty-two patients with alcohol use disorder and alcohol withdrawal were included in the study. The study data were collected using a semi-structured proforma and then were tabulated. The obtained data were assessed by the Chi-square test and unpaired t-test where appropriate.

Results: The Mean±SD age of the study patients were 38.84±11.64 years. The Mean±SD years of consumption of alcohol was 13.50±7.8 years in the sample (range 1-30 years) and Mean±SD days of last consumption of alcohol was 3.88±1.8 days (range 2-10 days). There were no significant differences between stockers and non-stockers in various parameters. 

Conclusion: Alcohol and substance withdrawal have increased in the wake of the lockdown and COVID-19 pandemic and there is a need for non-COVID-19 setups to be created to cater to the needs of these patients.