J Clin Med Res

Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://jocmr.elmerjournals.com

Original Article

Volume 17, Number 11, November 2025, pages 601-607

Assessment of the Treatment for Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome With and Without Dexmedetomidine: A Retrospective Cohort Study

**Table 1.** Patients Characteristics
	No dexmedetomidine (n = 371)	With dexmedetomidine (n = 623)	Total (n = 994)	P value
aChi-square P value. ^bKruskal-Wallis P value. SD: standard deviation; IQR: interquartile range; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CAD: coronary artery disease.
Sex, n (%)
Female	77 (20.8%)	125 (20.1%)	202 (20.3%)	0.7936^a
Male	294 (79.2%)	498 (79.9%)	792 (79.7%)
Race, n (%)
American Indian or Alaska Native	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)
Asian	4 (1.1%)	2 (0.3%)	6 (0.6%)
Black or African American	7 (1.9%)	18 (2.9%)	25 (2.5%)
Unknown	1 (0.3%)	4 (0.6%)	5 (0.5%)	0.3559^a
White	359 (96.8%)	598 (96.0%)	957 (96.3%)
Ethnicity, n (%)
Hispanic or Latino	2 (0.5%)	15 (2.4%)	17 (1.7%)
Non-Hispanic or Latino	361 (97.3%)	597 (95.8%)	958 (96.4%)
Unknown	8 (2.2%)	11 (1.8%)	19 (1.9%)	0.0827^a
Age at encounter, years
Mean (SD)	52.8 (12.98)	54.0 (12.24)	53.6 (12.53)
Median (IQR)	54.0 (45.0, 61.0)	55.0 (47.0, 62.0)	55.0 (46.0, 62.0)	0.0833^b
Range	18.0, 85.0	18.0, 88.0	18.0, 88.0
Phenobarbital (yes = 1, no = 0), n (%)
No	313 (84.4%)	476 (76.4%)	789 (79.4%)	0.0027^a
Yes	58 (15.6%)	147 (23.6%)	205 (20.6%)
Benzodiazepines (yes = 1, no = 0), n (%)
Yes	371 (100.0%)	623 (100.0%)	994 (100.0%)	Not applicable
No	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)
COPD (yes = 1, no = 0), n (%)
No	285 (76.8%)	484 (77.7%)	769 (77.4%)
Yes	86 (23.2%)	139 (22.3%)	225 (22.6%)	0.7514^a
CAD (yes = 1, no = 0), n (%)
No	314 (84.6%)	527 (84.6%)	841 (84.6%)	0.9847^a
Yes	57 (15.4%)	96 (15.4%)	153 (15.4%)
Asthma (yes = 1, no = 0), n (%)
No	344 (92.7%)	572 (91.8%)	916 (92.2%)	0.6064^a
Yes	27 (7.3%)	51 (8.2%)	78 (7.8%)

Table 1. Patients Characteristics

No dexmedetomidine (n = 371)

With dexmedetomidine (n = 623)

Total (n = 994)

P value

aChi-square P value. ^bKruskal-Wallis P value. SD: standard deviation; IQR: interquartile range; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CAD: coronary artery disease.

Sex, n (%)

Female

77 (20.8%)

125 (20.1%)

202 (20.3%)

0.7936^a

Male

294 (79.2%)

498 (79.9%)

792 (79.7%)

Race, n (%)

American Indian or Alaska Native

0 (0.0%)

1 (0.2%)

1 (0.1%)

Asian

4 (1.1%)

2 (0.3%)

6 (0.6%)

Black or African American

7 (1.9%)

18 (2.9%)

25 (2.5%)

Unknown

1 (0.3%)

4 (0.6%)

5 (0.5%)

0.3559^a

White

359 (96.8%)

598 (96.0%)

957 (96.3%)

Ethnicity, n (%)

Hispanic or Latino

2 (0.5%)

15 (2.4%)

17 (1.7%)

Non-Hispanic or Latino

361 (97.3%)

597 (95.8%)

958 (96.4%)

Unknown

8 (2.2%)

11 (1.8%)

19 (1.9%)

0.0827^a

Age at encounter, years

Mean (SD)

52.8 (12.98)

54.0 (12.24)

53.6 (12.53)

Median (IQR)

54.0 (45.0, 61.0)

55.0 (47.0, 62.0)

55.0 (46.0, 62.0)

0.0833^b

Range

18.0, 85.0

18.0, 88.0

Phenobarbital (yes = 1, no = 0), n (%)

313 (84.4%)

476 (76.4%)

789 (79.4%)

0.0027^a

Yes

58 (15.6%)

147 (23.6%)

205 (20.6%)

Benzodiazepines (yes = 1, no = 0), n (%)

Yes

371 (100.0%)

623 (100.0%)

994 (100.0%)

Not applicable

0 (0%)

COPD (yes = 1, no = 0), n (%)

285 (76.8%)

484 (77.7%)

769 (77.4%)

Yes

86 (23.2%)

139 (22.3%)

225 (22.6%)

0.7514^a

CAD (yes = 1, no = 0), n (%)

314 (84.6%)

527 (84.6%)

841 (84.6%)

0.9847^a

Yes

57 (15.4%)

96 (15.4%)

153 (15.4%)

Asthma (yes = 1, no = 0), n (%)

344 (92.7%)

572 (91.8%)

916 (92.2%)

0.6064^a

Yes

27 (7.3%)

51 (8.2%)

78 (7.8%)

**Table 2.** Primary and Secondary Outcomes
	No dexmedetomidine (n = 371)	With dexmedetomidine (n = 623)	Total (n = 994)	P value
aIndependent sample t-test. ^bChi-square P value. ^cUnadjusted for ICU LOS. SD: standard deviation; IQR: interquartile range; ICU: intensive care unit; LOS: length of stay.
Primary outcomes - hospital LOS (days)
Mean (SD)	7.7 (8.32)	12.3 (11.29)	10.6 (10.51)
Median (IQR)	5.0 (3.0, 9.0)	10.0 (6.0, 16.0)	8.0 (5.0, 14.0)
Range	0.0, 73.0	1.0, 203.0	0.0, 203.0	< 0.0001^a
Primary outcomes - ICU LOS (days)
Mean (SD)	3.1 (3.77)	6.9 (7.44)	5.5 (6.59)
Median (IQR)	1.9 (1.0, 3.4)	4.9 (2.9, 9.0)	3.6 (1.8, 7.1)
Range	0.0, 31.1	0.1, 122.3	0.0, 122.3	< 0.0001^a
Secondary outcomes - lorazepam equivalent (mg)
Mean (SD)	41.19 (82.45)	40.8 (59.17)	40.95 (68.60)
Median (IQR)	24.8 (42.2)	24.8 (42.2)	24 (42.87)
Range			0.5, 1410	0.5692
Secondary outcomes - re-admission in 30 days (n)
Yes	262 (70.6%)	475 (76.2%)	737 (74.1%)	0.0990^{b, c}
No	109 (29.4%)	148 (23.8%)	257 (25.9%)
Secondary outcomes - re-admission in 60 days (n)
Yes	308 (83.0%)	541 (86.8%)	849 (85.4%)	0.0334^{b, c}
No	63 (17.0%)	82 (13.2%)	145 (14.6%)
Secondary outcomes - re-admission in 90 days (n)
Yes	314 (84.6%)	556 (89.2%)	870 (87.5%)	0.0426^{b, c}
No	57 (15.4%)	67 (10.8%)	124 (12.5%)

Table 2. Primary and Secondary Outcomes

No dexmedetomidine (n = 371)

With dexmedetomidine (n = 623)

Total (n = 994)

P value

aIndependent sample t-test. ^bChi-square P value. ^cUnadjusted for ICU LOS. SD: standard deviation; IQR: interquartile range; ICU: intensive care unit; LOS: length of stay.

Primary outcomes - hospital LOS (days)

Mean (SD)

7.7 (8.32)

12.3 (11.29)

10.6 (10.51)

Median (IQR)

5.0 (3.0, 9.0)

10.0 (6.0, 16.0)

8.0 (5.0, 14.0)

Range

0.0, 73.0

1.0, 203.0

0.0, 203.0

< 0.0001^a

Primary outcomes - ICU LOS (days)

Mean (SD)

3.1 (3.77)

6.9 (7.44)

5.5 (6.59)

Median (IQR)

1.9 (1.0, 3.4)

4.9 (2.9, 9.0)

3.6 (1.8, 7.1)

Range

0.0, 31.1

0.1, 122.3

0.0, 122.3

< 0.0001^a

Secondary outcomes - lorazepam equivalent (mg)

Mean (SD)

41.19 (82.45)

40.8 (59.17)

40.95 (68.60)

Median (IQR)

24.8 (42.2)

24 (42.87)

Range

0.5, 1410

0.5692

Secondary outcomes - re-admission in 30 days (n)

Yes

262 (70.6%)

475 (76.2%)

737 (74.1%)

0.0990^{b, c}

109 (29.4%)

148 (23.8%)

257 (25.9%)

Secondary outcomes - re-admission in 60 days (n)

Yes

308 (83.0%)

541 (86.8%)

849 (85.4%)

0.0334^{b, c}

63 (17.0%)

82 (13.2%)

145 (14.6%)

Secondary outcomes - re-admission in 90 days (n)

Yes

314 (84.6%)

556 (89.2%)

870 (87.5%)

0.0426^{b, c}

57 (15.4%)

67 (10.8%)

124 (12.5%)

**Table 3.** Primary Outcomes Adjusted for Age and Dexmedetomidine Use
Outcome	Predictor	B	95% CI (B)	P value	Exp(B)	% Change in LOS
ICU: intensive care unit; LOS: length of stay; CI: confidence interval.
Hospital LOS	Age (per year)	0.015	0.012 to 0.018	< 0.001	1.015	+1.5%
	Precedex use	0.461	0.380 to 0.542	< 0.001	1.586	+58.6%
ICU LOS	Age (per year)	0.011	0.008 to 0.014	< 0.001	1.011	+1.1%
	Precedex use	0.648	0.564 to 0.733	< 0.001	1.912	+91.2%

Table 3. Primary Outcomes Adjusted for Age and Dexmedetomidine Use

Outcome

Predictor

95% CI (B)

P value

Exp(B)

% Change in LOS

ICU: intensive care unit; LOS: length of stay; CI: confidence interval.

Hospital LOS

Age (per year)

0.015

0.012 to 0.018

< 0.001

1.015

+1.5%

Precedex use

0.461

0.380 to 0.542

< 0.001

1.586

+58.6%

ICU LOS

Age (per year)

0.011

0.008 to 0.014

< 0.001

1.011

+1.1%

Precedex use

0.648

0.564 to 0.733

< 0.001

1.912

+91.2%