Delirium is a common clinical syndrome characterized by acute disruption of all cognitive and behavioural functions.

– Draw up an epidemiological and clinical profile of patients hospitalised for delirium;

– Assess different pathologies involved.

We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study, in the neurology department at Habib Bourguiba university hospital, Sfax, Tunisia, at the period from 2009 to 2013. We included 52 patients hospitalised for delirium. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected from patient files.

The mean age was 66.5 years. The majority (73.1%) were elderly patients (> = 60 years). Sex-ratio (M/F) was 1.73. It was the first episode in 96.2%.

Medical histories were cardiovascular in 55.8%, endocrinal in 25%, neurological in 11.5% and psychiatric in 13.5%. The beginning of the signs was brutal in 55.8% of cases. The reported symptoms were: disorientation in time and space (76.9%) and behaviour disturbance (63.5%), memory disorder (23.1%), headaches (26.9%) and hallucinations (17.3%). Organic etiologies were noted in 75% of cases: vascular 42.30%, metabolic 11.50%, infectious 11.5%, tumoral 3.9% and iatrogenic 3.8%. Delirium grafted on dementia was retained in 5.8% of cases.

Delirium is associated with increased mortality. Its prevention is essential and requires recognition of risk situations.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.