Acute organic brain syndrome: a review of 100 cases.
A retrospective review of 100 admissions to Denver General Hospital with a diagnosis of acute organic brain syndrome was conducted. A total of 44% of the patients were found to have a chronic organic brain syndrome with a superimposed acute insult which caused decompensation. The other 56% of patients developed acute organic brain syndromes de novo for a variety of reasons. The most common etiologic factors producing decompensation of the chronic OBS were infections (in 23%) and environmental changes (in 17%). The most common etiologic factor causing AOBS de novo was drug-related. In most cases, a toxicologic screen, lumbar puncture, and CT scan of the brain should be a part of the investigation of any patient with AOBS.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis