[Mortality of patients with organ-induced psychiatric disorders during inpatient psychiatric treatment]

Abstract

In this paper data from seven psychiatric hospitals in Baden-Württemberg, which can be regarded as representative for this region, are analysed. All patients with organic mental disorders of the ICD-9 categories 290, 293, 294 and 310 were included, while patients with alcohol- or psychoactive drug-induced psychoses were excluded. During the period from 01.01.1984 to 30.06.1986, 1821 episodes of treatment were recorded. 41% of all patients were male, the mean age of the population was 72.4 +/- 15.1 years. During their stay in hospital 137 patients died from natural causes, which is to compare with an expected number of deaths of 18.3, calculated according to the age- and sex-adjusted mortality rates of the German population. With a ratio of 7.5 the mortality of the whole study population was significantly raised. In all diagnostic subgroups a correlation with raised mortality was found, the risk being highest in patients with acute organic psychosis. An inverse relationship between age and mortality could be established. The main causes of death were cardiovascular disorders and pneumonias. The data of this investigation indicate an unequivocally increased mortality risk of patients with organic mental disorder during their stay in acute psychiatric units. The causes for this phenomenon are discussed, as well as potential consequences for hospital care of patients with organic mental disorder.