Currently, he and his colleagues are evaluating whether all 10 items on the scale are needed to make a diagnosis, or whether a shorter version would be equally useful.
“The incidence of alcoholism is extremely high. It is the most common drug problem in the United States, and we know that many physicians do not feel comfortable dealing with patients who have alcohol withdrawal,” Dr. Maldonado said, adding that this tool will simplify management.
For the Stanford study, patients with a negative PAWSS (score below 4) receive no treatment specifically for AWS. If they test positive (score of 4 or more), it is assumed that they will withdraw, and the AWS scale is administered to discriminate patients who are withdrawing from those at high risk of withdrawal. Patients with a positive PAWSS and a negative AWS scale or CIWA are directed to a prophylactic treatment arm. Those with a positive PAWSS and a positive AWS scale or CIWA are directed into a treatment arm, which involves more aggressive management.
The validation study was supported by the Chase Research Fund. Dr. Maldonado reported having no disclosures.