[So-called pernicious catatonia]

After a review of the literature centered on the possible relationship of acute psychiatric symptomatology and death, more specifically in relation with acute catatonia, the writers examine all cases of schizophrenic patients admitted to the Psychiatric University Hospital of Lausanne (Hôpital de Cery) during the period from 1961 to 1981. The importance of acute catatonia is discussed and compared to other similar syndromes (the porcine stress syndrome, malignant hyperthermia, the neuroleptic "malignant" syndrome).