[Treatment of delirium in a psychogeriatric university hospital department. Etiology, treatment concept and outcome].

The purposes of the study were to account for aetiology, treatment concept, outcome of treatment, and discharge destination of delirious elderly inpatients. During one year all patients in a psychogeriatric university department were assessed on admission and at discharge with a selection of assessments measuring psychopathology, behavioural disorders, depressive symptoms, intellectual functioning, activities of daily living, and gait. Diagnoses were made according to the ICD-10 criteria for research. All patients with a principal diagnosis of delirium (n = 26) are accounted for. Delirious patients improved their health status significantly in all the assessments, and 86% of patients admitted from independent living were discharged to independent living. It is concluded that elderly inpatients with severe or prolonged delirium profit significantly from the treatment concept in all of the rated health aspects.