Objective:

To compare demographics, hospitalization characteristics, and comorbid depression between patients hospitalized with seizure alone and those with seizure plus alcohol use disorder

Background:

Seizures are a common cause of hospital admissions in the United States, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) frequently co-occurs, potentially influencing demographics, clinical characteristics, and comorbidities. This study examines differences between patients hospitalized with seizure alone and those with seizure plus AUD, including the prevalence of comorbid depression.

Design/Methods:

Hospitalizations with a primary ICD-10 diagnosis of seizure (DXCCSR=NVS009) were identified in the 2022 National Inpatient Sample (NIS) and stratified into seizure-only and seizure with secondary diagnosis of AUD (F10*). Demographics (age, sex, race), hospitalization characteristics (length of stay, total charges), and clinical outcomes (mortality, discharge disposition) were compared using t-tests for continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables. Comorbid depression (F32*) was also assessed.

Results:

A total of 54,571 patients were hospitalized with seizures, including 5,544 with seizure plus AUD. Patients with seizures and AUD were more likely to be male (72.7% vs. 49.8%, p<0.001) and older (mean 51.1 vs. 43.3 years). Racial distribution differed significantly, with higher proportions of White and Black patients in the AUD group (p<0.001). Length of stay was slightly longer in the AUD group (4.88 vs. 4.35 days), while total charges were similar ($61,996 vs. $61,971). In-hospital mortality was low and comparable (0.9% vs. 1.0%, p=NS). Comorbid depression was more prevalent in the seizure + AUD group (17.8% vs. 13.7%, p<0.001). 

Conclusions: