Ethanol for the management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction Alcohol withdrawal is typically managed using benzodiazepines. However, modulation of both γ-aminobutyric acid-A and N-methyl-d-aspartate-receptors through ethanol provision may provide an alternative management strategy. This systematic review critically analyses the evidence surrounding the use of oral or intravenous ethanol for the management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Methods Systematic searches of ProQuest – American Psychological Association, PsycInfo, MEDLINE and PubMed Central, Web of Science and Embase were performed (Prospero registration number: CRD42023425224). Search criteria were: Population = Patients receiving pharmacological interventions to treat or prevent alcohol withdrawal in a healthcare setting. Intervention = intravenous or enteral ethanol. Comparator = standard care, benzodiazepines, carbamazepine, adjunct medications including sedatives, or no comparator. Outcomes = complication rates, symptom scores, length of stay in healthcare settings. Exclusions were: preclinical studies, participants less than 18 years old, non-peer reviewed literature, poor study design or poor data quality. Study quality was assessed using an adapted National Institute for Health and Care Research quality tool. A narrative data synthesis approach was adopted. Results Eight thousand two hundred and four studies were retrieved. Ten were included in the final analysis. Overall study quality was poor. Seven studies reported treatment outcomes that were comparable to a control arm or in which ethanol conferred no detrimental effect. Three studies reported positive outcomes, and one study reported worse outcomes following ethanol administration. Discussion The review identified heterogeneity in study design and limited reporting surrounding patient demographics, patient alcohol use history and the practicalities of ethanol administration. As such, implementation of ethanol prescribing for the management of alcohol withdrawal is currently limited due to the quality and translatability of existing data surrounding its use. Conclusions Further studies are required with more transparent and complete outcome reporting and practical implementation recommendations in order to facilitate the translation of ethanol prescribing for the management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome.