Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Türkiye Klinikleri Journal of Case Reports, cilt.33, sa.4, ss.166-168, 2025 (TRDizin)
Delirium tremens is a life-threatening complication of alcohol withdrawal that can be aggravated by metabolic disorders. This report describes a 56-year-old male with alcohol use disorder who developed delirium tremens and was unexpectedly diagnosed with Gitelman syndrome. Gitelman syndrome, a rare distal tubulopathy, causes hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, hypocalciuria, and metabolic alkalosis, which may intensify delirium symptoms. The patient’s persistent electrolyte imbalance, resistant to standard replacement, prolonged delirium and led to suspicion of an underlying disorder. Correction of these abnormalities after the diagnosis of Gitelman syndrome resulted in clinical recovery. This report emphasizes that when delirium tremens does not improve with standard benzodiazepine therapy, metabolic etiologies such as Gitelman syndrome should be considered.