Delirium: 100 Cases

One hundred consecutive cases of delirium seen in a psychiatric consultation service of a general hospital are discussed. Two thirds of the patients came from pneumology and cardiology since the hospital serves as a regional thoracic center. The frequency of delirium was 12.6% of consultations: three men were seen for every one woman; 80% of cases were over fifty years of age. The clinical aspects of delirium are studied according to DSM-III criteria to evaluate: a) the frequency of the symptoms, b) the temporal course of the disorder, c) any clinical characteristic of delirium linked with potential etiological factors, d) the role of anxiety.