[What determines decreased mortality among patients treated for alcoholic delirium?]

The course and results of treatment of delirium tremens in 218 patients and pre-delirium syndrome in 569 patients treated in the Psychiatric Department of the Hospital for Miners in Bytom between 1966 and 1984 was analysed. During this period there was found mitigation in the severity of the psychosis and a fall in the number of patients displaying the fully developed syndrome in relation to patients suffering from abortive forms (pre-delirium syndromes). Among the patients treated no deaths were noted. In the opinion of the authors the use of appropriate psychotropic drugs in patients with DT is only one of the many factors influencing the course of this psychosis. As important and often more important is intensive somatic treatment of patients in a severe general condition.