Working Toward a Gold Standard: The Severity of Ethanol Withdrawal Scale (SEWS) Versus the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment Alcohol Scale (CIWA-Ar)

Alcohol Alcohol. 2023 May 9;58(3):324-328. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agad016.

Abstract

Aim: Proving the Severity of Ethanol Withdrawal Scale (SEWS) significantly reduces Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS) treatment Time on Medication Protocol (TOMP).

Method: Head-to-head Quality Assurance outcome compared separate cohorts of SEWS or Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment Alcohol Scale, Revised (CIWA-Ar) data using Student's t and Wilcoxon tests.

Results: SEWS-driven treatment (n = 244) reduced TOMP to 2.2 days versus 3.4 days for CIWA-Ar (n = 137); P < 0.0001.

Conclusion: The SEWS is the superior measure of AWS symptoms.

MeSH terms

  • Alcoholism* / diagnosis
  • Ethanol / adverse effects
  • Humans
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome* / diagnosis
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome* / drug therapy

Substances

  • Ethanol