In the intensive care unit at the University Hospital of Basel, patients are given wheat beer. Doctors hope this will make patients less confused and prevent so-called delirium.
Half a liter of wheat beer, served in a black plastic bag – this is what some patients in the intensive care unit at the University Hospital in Basel are now getting. Doctors hope the liquid administered through a stomach tube will prevent what is known as delirium (or delirium). This state of acute confusion often occurs in intensive care patients.
The head physician of the intensive care unit, Martin Siegemund, suspects that a widespread after-work routine could be the reason: “A possible cause of delirium is alcohol, which patients regularly consume in small quantities, such as a glass of wine.” Abstinence from it can contribute to patients developing delirium, says Siegemund. Delirium is not only dangerous and stressful. It also represents a big challenge, especially for the nursing staff or relatives, he explains. “The patients are acutely confused. They no longer know where they are, think they are in Paris or want to see their children even though they don’t have any.” Even good persuasion cannot prevent delirium, says Siegemund.
Half a liter of beer for six days
Around 40 percent of patients in the intensive care unit are affected by delirium. Because there are hardly any medications available for treatment, the Basel University Hospital is now using the unusual treatment method. In the study, randomly selected patients receive half a liter of wheat beer every evening for six days. A comparison group only receives water. However, certain people are excluded from the study, such as pregnant women or people with an alcohol problem.
Law allows research on intensive care patients
The question remains: Isn’t it problematic to give half a liter of beer every evening to patients who are partially conscious? “Yes,” says chief physician Martin Siegemund. However, it is a fundamental problem that no research can be carried out without the consent of the patient. “Because intensive care patients usually come to us in an emergency, we can only ask them in rare cases.” There is a special paragraph in the Research Act for this case, he says. This allows such studies on intensive care patients.
Basel study is met with interest and skepticism
Experts are following the experiment with both interest and skepticism. Wolfgang Hasemann, who runs a dementia delirium program in Basel, is excited about the results and says that the study fills a gap in knowledge. At the same time, he is concerned that alcohol could actually make delirium worse.
Hasemann also believes that a study only with patients who have an alcohol problem would make more sense. “The results will show who is right: the study or my skepticism,” says the delirium specialist. The Basel beer study is scheduled to run until 2027. The first results can be expected in a year at the earliest.
Further topics from the program “Dreiland Aktuell” from November 9, 2024:
Jogging in underwear for a good cause: In Strasbourg, almost 500 people ran through the city scantily dressed. There is a serious concern behind this unconventional campaign: the participants wanted to draw attention to the importance of male cancer prevention.
Former students are making serious allegations against the University of Basel for sexual harassment by a professor who is said to have exploited his position of power. The University of Basel issued the professor a warning; If he repeats this, he will be threatened with dismissal.
