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Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS)
Abbreviated 5-item bedside scale for symptom-triggered treatment of alcohol withdrawal.
Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS)
Agitation
Clouding of sensorium / disorientation
Hallucinations (visual, auditory, or tactile)
Paroxysmal sweats
Tremor
Result0 points
Minimal withdrawal symptoms.
When to use
- Rapid, more objective bedside scoring for symptom-triggered benzodiazepine dosing in alcohol withdrawal, as an alternative to the longer CIWA-Ar.
Formula
Sum of 5 items (agitation, clouding of sensorium, hallucinations, paroxysmal sweats, tremor), each scored 0-3. Range 0-15; a score of 3 or more predicts CIWA-Ar >=8.
Pearls and pitfalls
- A BAWS of 6 or more has been used to define severe withdrawal warranting ICU-level protocols.
- Does not replace CIWA-Ar's validated derivation - developed as a faster, more objective bedside adjunct at a single academic centre.