title: Thiothixene in the Management of Delirium: A Case Series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pharmacologic strategies are often required to help manage agitated patients with delirium. First-and second-generation antipsychotic medications (such as haloperidol, quetiapine, and olanzapine) are commonly used.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  On the psychiatric consultation service in our hospital, thiothixene has been used based on its favorable potency, sedative, and cost profiles. Little has been written about the utility of this drug for management of delirium.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed our experience with thiothixene in this setting using pharmacy records to identify patients who received at least 1 dose between July 2011 and March 2014. We scrutinized the relevant medical records (n = 111) and recorded the following data: age, sex, medical diagnoses, signs and symptoms of delirium, dosing of thiothixene, and response to thiothixene in terms of both apparent benefit as well as side effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Resolution or improvement was documented in 78% of patients and good tolerability in 82% of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although further data from a randomized, controlled trial would be ideal, our experience suggests that thiothixene could be a safe and effective pharmacologic treatment for agitation and psychosis due to delirium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
authors.forename: Jonathan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
authors.forename: Folabo Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Dare
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
authors.forename: Lee M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Flowers
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
authors.forename: Lauren L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
authors.forename: Eliza M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Sukiennik
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
authors.forename: Kemuel L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Philbrick
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Electronic address: rasmussen.keith@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Keith G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003693:Delirium / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013888:Thiothixene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D013888:Thiothixene