A Nested Case-Control Protocol to Test Whether Probiotic Supplementation Is Associated with Reduced Delirium Tremens Risk: Rationale from a Reintegration-Failure Model of Withdrawal

Key Points

• The aim is to determine if probiotic supplementation reduces the risk of delirium tremens by focusing on gut-brain axis biomarkers.
• Administering probiotic supplementation to participants in a nested case-control design.
• Applying the MTZ framework and including a statistical analysis plan.
• Performing causal mediation analysis with nine falsifiable predictions.
• The study protocol outlines the anticipated association between probiotics and reduced delirium tremens risk based on biomarker mediation.
• No original patient data have been collected yet, indicating further research is needed to confirm hypotheses.