Posted: July 24th, 2017

An 80-year-old man is admitted to the hospital for treatment of a burn that covers 20% of his total body surface area. Two days after admission, his behavior has changed. He accuses the staff of torturing him. He cannot recall why he was admitted to the hospital and is not oriented to date and place. His wife says he was “fine” before the burn. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

An 80-year-old man is admitted to the hospital
for treatment of a burn that covers 20% of his
total body surface area. Two days after
admission, his behavior has changed. He accuses
the staff of torturing him. He cannot recall why
he was admitted to the hospital and is not
oriented to date and place. His wife says he was
“fine” before the burn. Which of the following is
the most likely diagnosis?
(A) Adjustment disorder
(B) Delirium
(C) Paranoid personality disorder
(D) Schizophrenia, paranoid type
(E) Senile onset of dementia, Alzheimer
type