Does hypokalaemia precede delirium tremens?

Serum-potassium was determined daily in 37 chronic alcoholics when alcohol was withdrawn on admission to hospital. Serum-potassium was normal in all patients at admission but in 26 patients in whom delirium tremens developed a contiuing decrease in serum-potassium led to hypokalaemia, (mean 2.9 mmol/l) when delirium tremens started. At the end of the attack serum-potassium rapidly returned to normal. The change in serum-potassium was not associated with any variation in serum electrolytes or acidbase balance. In the 11 patients in whom delirium tremens did not develop serum-potassium concentration remained unchanged.