Screening for preexisting cognitive impairment in older intensive care unit patients: use of proxy assessment

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of preexisting cognitive impairment (CI) in patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) and compare two different proxy measures of preexisting CI in ICU patients.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional comparative study.

SETTING

Urban university teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred thirty patients aged 65 and older admitted to the medical ICU.

MEASUREMENTS

Two previously validated proxy measures of CI: the Modified Blessed Dementia Rating Scale (MBDRS) and the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE).

RESULTS

The prevalence of preexisting CI in the ICU, determined using a combination of the measures, was 42%. Agreement between the two CI measures was 86%, with a kappa of 0.69, with discrepancies being related to the different domains measured by each instrument.

CONCLUSION

There is a high prevalence of preexisting CI in patients admitted to the medical ICU. Both the MBDRS and IQCODE can be used to screen for preexisting CI in situations where direct patient assessment is not feasible. Future studies are needed to address physician recognition of CI and its effect on patient care decisions and outcomes.

Delirium in the intensive care unit: occurrence and clinical course in older patients

OBJECTIVES

To describe the occurrence of delirium in a cohort of older medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients and its short-term duration in the hospital and to determine the association between preexisting dementia and the occurrence of delirium.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Fourteen-bed medical ICU of an 800-bed university teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred eighteen consecutive patients aged 65 and older admitted to the ICU.

MEASUREMENTS

Baseline characteristics were obtained through surrogate interviews and medical chart review. Dementia was determined using two validated surrogate-rated instruments. Delirium was assessed daily in the ICU using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) for the ICU (CAM-ICU). After discharge from the ICU, patients were followed for up to 7 days using the CAM.

RESULTS

Delirium was present in 37 of 118 (31%) patients on admission. Only 45 patients had a normal mental status on admission, of whom 14 (31%) became delirious during their hospital stay. In the post-ICU period, delirium occurred in 40% of patients. Almost half of patients with delirium in the ICU had persistent delirium in the post-ICU period. Overall, 83 of 118 (70%) had delirium during hospitalization. Stupor or coma occurred in 44% of the patients overall, and 89% of survivors of stupor/coma progressed to delirium. Patients with dementia were 40% more likely to be delirious (relative risk = 1.4, 95% confidence interval = 1.1-1.7), even after controlling for comorbidity, baseline functional status, severity of illness, and invasive procedures.

CONCLUSION

Delirium is a frequent complication in older ICU patients and often persists beyond their ICU stay. Delirium in older ICU persons is a dynamic and complex process. Dementia is an important predisposing risk factor for the development of delirium in this population during and after the ICU stay.

The role of adherence on the effectiveness of nonpharmacologic interventions: evidence from the delirium prevention trial

BACKGROUND

The impact of adherence on outcome for a nonpharmacologic intervention strategy has not been previously examined.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the impact of level of adherence on effectiveness of the intervention strategy in a large clinical trial of nonpharmacologic interventions to prevent delirium.

METHODS

The subjects included 422 consecutive patients 70 years or older admitted to the medicine service at a university hospital. The intervention protocols were targeted toward 6 delirium risk factors. The primary outcome was new-onset delirium during hospitalization.

RESULTS

During 9882 patient-days, complete adherence rates for individual intervention protocols ranged from 10% for the sleep protocol to 86% for the orientation protocol. The rate of complete adherence with all protocols was 57%, and combined partial and complete adherence was 87%. Higher levels of adherence resulted in lower delirium rates, with a significant graded effect, for orientation, mobility, and therapeutic activities protocols, and for the composite adherence measure. After controlling for potential confounding variables, such as illness severity, comorbidity, baseline delirium risk, and functional status, adherence continued to demonstrate a consistently strong and significant protective effect against delirium (adjusted odds ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.56-0.87). Patients in the highest adherence group demonstrated an 89% reduction in delirium risk compared with patients in the lowest group.

CONCLUSIONS

Adherence played an important independent role in the effectiveness of a nonpharmacologic multicomponent intervention strategy. Higher levels of adherence resulted in reduced rates of delirium in a directly graded fashion, with extremely low levels of delirium in the highest adherence group. Thus, adherence must be ensured in nonpharmacologic interventions to optimize effectiveness.

The effects of a targeted multicomponent delirium intervention on postdischarge outcomes for hospitalized older adults

PURPOSE

We sought to determine whether a multicomponent hospital-based intervention targeted toward risk factors for delirium had any effect on patient outcomes 6 months later.

METHODS

We studied 705 patients aged 70 years or older who had been enrolled in a controlled trial of a multicomponent intervention at an academic medical center and who survived for at least 6 months after hospitalization. Outcomes included self-rated health, functional status, incontinence, depression, cognitive status, delirium, home health visits, homemaker visits, rehospitalization, and nursing home placement.

RESULTS

Overall, there were no differences between the intervention and control groups for any of the 10 outcomes, except that incontinence was slightly less common in the intervention group (30% [103/344] vs. 37% [132/354], P = 0.02). Among high-risk patients, those in the intervention group had better self-rated health (among those with poor/bad self-rated health at baseline, P <0.001) and better functional status (among those with baseline functional impairment, P <0.001). There were no effects in the other six high-risk subgroups, including cognitive and behavioral outcomes (Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale, incontinence, and delirium) and health care utilization.

CONCLUSION

In the group as a whole, we were unable to identify a lasting beneficial effect of the multicomponent intervention, although further efforts to identify appropriate subgroups for targeted interventions may be worthwhile. Other strategies are needed after hospital discharge to deter deterioration in susceptible elderly people.

Burden of illness score for elderly persons: risk adjustment incorporating the cumulative impact of diseases, physiologic abnormalities, and functional impairments

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

To develop and validate a new risk adjustment index-the Burden of Illness Score for Elderly Persons (BISEP)-which integrates multiple domains, including diseases, physiologic abnormalities, and functional impairments. RESEARCH DESIGN SUBJECTS: The index was developed in a prospective cohort of 525 patients aged > or = 70 years from the medicine service of a university hospital. The index was validated in a cohort of 1246 patients aged > or = 65 years from 27 hospitals. The outcome was 1-year mortality.

RESULTS

Five risk factors were selected from diagnosis, laboratory, and functional status axes: high-risk diagnoses, albumin < or = 3.5 mg/dL, creatinine >1.5 mg/dL, dementia, and walking impairment. The BISEP score (range 0-7) created four groups of increasing risk: group I (score 0-1), group II (2), group III (3), and group IV (> or = 4). In the development cohort, where overall mortality was 154/525 (29%), 1-year mortality rates increased significantly across each risk group, from 8% to 24%, 51%, and 74%, in groups I to IV respectively (chi(2) trend, = 0.001)--an overall 17-fold increased risk by hazard ratio. The c-statistic for the final model was 0.83. Corresponding rates in the validation cohort, where overall mortality was 488/1246 (39%), were 5%, 17%, 33%, and 61% in groups I to IV, respectively (chi(2) trend, = 0.001)-an overall 18-fold increased risk by hazard ratio. The c-statistic for the final model was 0.77. In each cohort, sequential addition of variables from different sources (eg, administrative, laboratory, and chart) substantially improved model fit and predictive accuracy. BISEP had significantly superior mortality prediction compared with five widely used measures.

CONCLUSIONS

BISEP provides a useful new risk adjustment system for hospitalized older persons. Although index performance using different data sources has been evaluated, the full BISEP model, incorporating disease, laboratory, and functional impairment information, demonstrates the best performance.

Delirium superimposed on dementia: a systematic review

Delirium in a patient with preexisting dementia is a common problem that may have serious complications and poor prognostic implications. The purpose of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of the medical literature on delirium superimposed on dementia, specifically to review studies on prevalence, associated features, outcomes, and management. Areas of controversy and gaps in our knowledge of this problem are highlighted. Finally, an agenda for future research is proposed. Fourteen studies were reviewed, including seven prospective studies, three retrospective studies, two cross-sectional studies, and two clinical trials. For the review of the literature on delirium superimposed on dementia, we searched MEDLINE from January 1966 through February 2002 for research studies with primary sources of data. Selection criteria for inclusion of articles in this study were inclusion of data on subjects with delirium superimposed on dementia, inclusion of a validated operational definition/measures of dementia and delirium, actual data on persons with delirium and dementia reported in the paper, and reporting of primary data. MEDLINE was searched using the following key search terms: delirium, acute confusion, cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, delirium superimposed on dementia, and elderly. The prevalence of delirium superimposed on dementia ranged from 22% to 89% of hospitalized and community populations aged 65 and older with dementia. To date, only one reported study systematically identified associated factors and interventions for delirium superimposed on dementia, but several studies examining outcomes have found that adverse events are associated with delirium in persons with dementia, including accelerated and long-term cognitive and functional decline, need for institutionalization, rehospitalization, and increased mortality. This paper highlights the dearth of research on delirium superimposed on dementia and stresses the importance of early recognition and prevention of delirium in persons with dementia.

Development and validation of a risk-adjustment index for older patients: the high-risk diagnoses for the elderly scale

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a risk-adjustment index for 1-year mortality specific to older people, based on administrative discharge diagnoses.

DESIGN

Two prospective cohort studies, in tandem. The index developed in the initial cohort was subsequently validated in a separate cohort.

SETTING

General medicine service of a university teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

For the development cohort, 524 hospitalized general medical patients aged 70 and older. For the validation cohort, 852 comparable patients.

MEASUREMENTS

Administrative diagnosis data were used to construct the proposed index and several other widely used indices (Deyo-adapted Charlson; Acute Physiology, Age, Chronic Health Evaluation III conditions; total number of diagnoses; All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups; and Disease Staging). We used receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and Cox proportional hazards modeling to compare our proposed index with the other indices with respect to predictive accuracy and strength of association with 1-year mortality.

RESULTS

The High-Risk Diagnoses for the Elderly Scale was developed using 10 high-risk medical diagnoses. Individual condition weights, based on the magnitude of 1-year mortality risk, ranged from 1 (pneumonia, diabetes mellitus with end-organ damage) to 6 (lymphoma/leukemia); possible index scores ranged from 0 to 27. Mortality rates for patients categorized into four risk groups based on the index were 9.5%, 31.8%, 46.4%, and 73.6% in the development cohort (C statistic = 0.76), and 9.9%, 24.3%, 33.6%, and 50.8% in the validation subjects (C statistic = 0.68). The new index was a stronger predictor of mortality than several widely used measures.

CONCLUSION

The High-Risk Diagnoses for the Elderly Scale, based on readily available administrative data,is a simple, accurate system for prediction of 1-year mortality in older hospitalized patients that demonstrated generalizability to an independent sample. Future studies are needed to test this index in other settings and populations.

Evaluation of a guided protocol for quality improvement in identifying common geriatric problems

OBJECTIVES

Many common geriatric problems are underrecognized and undertreated. A simple and reliable tool to facilitate a standard approach to evaluating geriatric patients might improve the quality of medical care delivered to geriatric patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate a standardized, semistructured quality-improvement protocol (the guided geriatric care protocol) for the assessment of common geriatric problems.

DESIGN

Sequential comparison cohorts, with chart review to evaluate study measures before and after introduction of the guided geriatric care protocol.

SETTING

The outpatient consultative geriatric assessment center of Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred consecutive new patients before and 100 consecutive new patients after introduction of the guided geriatric care protocol.

MEASUREMENTS

Number and type of problems identified and recommendations made during the clinical encounter, duration of the clinical encounter, clinician acceptance.

RESULTS

The two patient groups were similar in sociodemographics, cognitive and functional status, and reasons for evaluation. Significantly more problems were identified after (mean 5.51) than before (mean 3.49) introduction of the guided geriatric care protocol (P< .001); likewise, significantly more recommendations were made after (mean 10.45) than before (mean 8.48) introduction of the protocol (P< .001). The duration of the clinical encounter did not differ significantly between the two groups. The protocol was well accepted by participating clinicians.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of the guided geriatric care protocol assured a standard approach to evaluating common geriatric problems and may have led to the identification and treatment of more problems than usual care without increasing the duration of the clinical encounter. A quality-improvement tool that standardizes the evaluation of common geriatric problems, if validated in other clinical settings, holds the potential to improve the quality of care for vulnerable older patients.

Rejuvenating views of the ageing process

Commonly held assumptions about the ageing process have guided and directed research in this important area over many years. Recent evidence, however, from disciplines as diverse as molecular genetics, clinical epidemiology and demography, provide a direct challenge to the validity of many of these assumptions. So, the time is ripe to re-examine these assumptions about the ageing process and to rethink the scientific foundations of the field.

Dementia and Race: Are There Differences Between African Americans and Caucasians?

This study provides an overview of racial differences in etiology and prevalence of dementia. Preliminary findings indicate that the clinical and molecular etiologies of dementia differ between races. African Americans have a higher prevalence of vascular dementia and a lower prevalence of Parkinsonian dementia than do Caucasians. The genetic etiologies of Alzheimer's-type dementia appear to differ between African Americans and Caucasians. The variations in dementia etiologies and in cognitive testing accuracy between races suggests the urgent need to develop racially appropriate cognitive assessment methods and to develop preventive and treatment etiologies differently according to racial background of individual patients.

Delirium in mechanically ventilated patients: validity and reliability of the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit (CAM-ICU)

CONTEXT

Delirium is a common problem in the intensive care unit (ICU). Accurate diagnosis is limited by the difficulty of communicating with mechanically ventilated patients and by lack of a validated delirium instrument for use in the ICU.

OBJECTIVES

To validate a delirium assessment instrument that uses standardized nonverbal assessments for mechanically ventilated patients and to determine the occurrence rate of delirium in such patients.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Prospective cohort study testing the Confusion Assessment Method for ICU Patients (CAM-ICU) in the adult medical and coronary ICUs of a US university-based medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 111 consecutive patients who were mechanically ventilated were enrolled from February 1, 2000, to July 15, 2000, of whom 96 (86.5%) were evaluable for the development of delirium and 15 (13.5%) were excluded because they remained comatose throughout the investigation.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Occurrence rate of delirium and sensitivity, specificity, and interrater reliability of delirium assessments using the CAM-ICU, made daily by 2 critical care study nurses, compared with assessments by delirium experts using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 471 daily paired evaluations were completed. Compared with the reference standard for diagnosing delirium, 2 study nurses using the CAM-ICU had sensitivities of 100% and 93%, specificities of 98% and 100%, and high interrater reliability (kappa = 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.92-0.99). Interrater reliability measures across subgroup comparisons showed kappa values of 0.92 for those aged 65 years or older, 0.99 for those with suspected dementia, or 0.94 for those with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores at or above the median value of 23 (all P<.001). Comparing sensitivity and specificity between patient subgroups according to age, suspected dementia, or severity of illness showed no significant differences. The mean (SD) CAM-ICU administration time was 2 (1) minutes. Reference standard diagnoses of delirium, stupor, and coma occurred in 25.2%, 21.3%, and 28.5% of all observations, respectively. Delirium occurred in 80 (83.3%) patients during their ICU stay for a mean (SD) of 2.4 (1.6) days. Delirium was even present in 39.5% of alert or easily aroused patient observations by the reference standard and persisted in 10.4% of patients at hospital discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Delirium, a complication not currently monitored in the ICU setting, is extremely common in mechanically ventilated patients. The CAM-ICU appears to be rapid, valid, and reliable for diagnosing delirium in the ICU setting and may be a useful instrument for both clinical and research purposes.

Nurses' recognition of delirium and its symptoms: comparison of nurse and researcher ratings

BACKGROUND

Nurses play a key role in recognition of delirium, yet delirium is often unrecognized by nurses. Our goals were to compare nurse ratings for delirium using the Confusion Assessment Method based on routine clinical observations with researcher ratings based on cognitive testing and to identify factors associated with underrecognition by nurses.

METHODS

In a prospective study, 797 patients 70 years and older underwent 2721 paired delirium ratings by nurses and researchers. Patient-related factors associated with underrecognition of delirium by nurses were examined.

RESULTS

Delirium occurred in 239 (9%) of 2721 observations or 131 (16%) of 797 patients. Nurses identified delirium in only 19% of observations and 31% of patients compared with researchers. Sensitivities of nurses' ratings for delirium and its key features were generally low (15%-31%); however, specificities were high (91%-99%). Nearly all disagreements between nurse and researcher ratings were because of underrecognition of delirium by the nurses. Four independent risk factors for underrecognition by nurses were identified: hypoactive delirium (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 7.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.2-12.9), age 80 years and older (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.7-4.7), vision impairment (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-4.0), and dementia (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.2-3.7). The risk for underrecognition by nurses increased with the number of risk factors present from 2% (0 risk factors) to 6% (1 risk factor), 15% (2 risk factors), and 44% (3 or 4 risk factors; P(trend)<.001). Patients with 3 or 4 risk factors had a 20-fold risk for underrecognition of delirium by nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses often missed delirium when present, but rarely identified delirium when absent. Recognition of delirium can be enhanced with education of nurses in delirium features, cognitive assessment, and factors associated with poor recognition.

An algorithm for prospective individual matching in a non-randomized clinical trial

A method is described to achieve balance across prognostic factors in intervention trials for which randomized allocation to treatment group is not possible. The method involves prospective individual matching of patients that have already been assigned to treatment groups. Data can be analyzed using methods appropriate for prospective matched cohort studies. Successful implementation depends on the number and complexity of factors to be matched, and on the number of available control patients. Simulation studies suggest that, in order to yield satisfactory match rates and to reduce costs associated with screening unmatched controls, no more than three prognostic factors should generally be considered. Baseline prognostic indices, incorporating information from multiple variables, provide effective matching factors. The implementation of the method in a successful clinical trial, the Delirium Prevention Trial, is discussed. In that study, treatment group was determined by hospital admission to either an intervention floor or to one of two usual care hospital floors. The ratio of available control to intervention patients was 1.3, and 95% of the eligible intervention floor patients were successfully matched to control floor patients. Excellent balance was demonstrated for non-matching factors, due in part to the use of a composite baseline risk score as a matching factor. In addition, external validity is enhanced because most eligible intervention patients are enrolled as they present. The methods outlined in this report provide a methodologically rigorous alternative for achieving balance across treatment groups, with respect to important prognostic factors, in non-randomized clinical trials, and will have broad applicability in the numerous situations in which randomization is not possible.

What does the medical record reveal about functional status? A comparison of medical record and interview data

OBJECTIVE

Functional status measures are potent independent predictors of hospital outcomes and mortality. The study objective was to compare medical record with interview data for functional status.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Subjects were 525 medical patients, aged 70 years or older, hospitalized at an academic medical center. Patient interviews determined status for 7 basic activities of daily living (BADLs) and 7 instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Medical records were reviewed to assess documentation of BADLs and IADLs.

RESULTS

Most medical records contained no documentation of individual BADLs and IADLs (61% to 98% of records lacking documentation), with the exception of walking (24% of medical records lacking documentation). Impairment prevalence was lower in medical records than at interview for all BADLs and IADLs, and agreement between interview and medical record was poor (kappa < 0.40 for individual BADLs and IADLs). Sensitivity of the medical record for BADL and IADL impairment was poor (range 95% to 44%), using the interview as a reference standard. Sensitivity and specificity of the medical record for detection of BADL and IADL impairment changed substantially when records with nondocumentation of functional status were excluded or were assumed to be equivalent to independence.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that the medical record is a poor source of data on many functional status measures, and that assuming that nondocumentation of functional status is equivalent to independence may be unwarranted. Given the prognostic importance of functional status measures, the results highlight the importance of developing reliable and efficient means of obtaining functional status information on hospitalized older patients.

Cognitive and other adverse effects of diphenhydramine use in hospitalized older patients

BACKGROUND

Diphenhydramine hydrochloride is a commonly prescribed medicine in hospitalized patients, but its adverse effects on older patients remain unclear.

METHODS

We enrolled 426 hospitalized medical patients aged 70 years or older in a prospective cohort study in a university hospital. Measurements included baseline and daily assessments including Mini-Mental State Examination scores, Confusion Assessment Method ratings, direct observations for medical devices (urinary catheter or physical restraints), and blinded medical record extractions for diphenhydramine use.

RESULTS

Of the 426 patients, 114 (27%) received diphenhydramine during hospitalization and shared similar baseline characteristics including age, sex, delirium risk, and Mini-Mental State Examination scores compared with nonexposed patients. The diphenhydramine-exposed group was at an increased risk for any delirium symptoms (relative risk [RR], 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-2.3) and for individual delirium symptoms, including inattention (RR, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.5-5.9), disorganized speech (RR, 5.5; 95% CI, 1.0-29.8), and altered consciousness (RR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6-6.1). Exposed patients also had increased risk for urinary catheter placement (RR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.0-6.0) and longer median length of stay (7 vs 6 days; P =.009). A dose-response relationship was demonstrated for most adverse outcomes. Overall, 24% of diphenhydramine doses were administered inappropriately.

CONCLUSIONS

Diphenhydramine administration in older hospitalized patients is associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and other adverse effects with a dose-response relationship. Careful review of its use is necessary in this vulnerable population.

Diagnosis and management of delirium near the end of life

Delirium is a common and distressing symptom that constitutes a significant challenge for end-of-life care. However, reliable techniques are available for the diagnosis of delirium, and effective therapies exist as well. This consensus paper uses a case-based format that begins with an overview of the definition and presentation of delirium. Next, strategies for diagnosis are suggested, with attention to the unique challenges that clinicians face in pursuing a diagnostic work-up for patients near the end of life. The paper concludes with a review of therapeutic options.

Multicomponent targeted intervention to prevent delirium in hospitalized older patients: what is the economic value?

INTRODUCTION

Delirium, or acute confusional state, is a common and serious occurrence among hospitalized older persons. Current estimates suggest that delirium complicates hospital stays for more than 2.3 million older persons each year, involving more than 17.5 million hospital days and accounting for more than $4 billion (1994 dollars) of Medicare expenditures. A 40% reduction was recently reported in the risk for delirium among hospitalized older persons receiving a multicomponent targeted risk factor intervention (MTI) strategy to prevent delirium, compared with subjects receiving usual hospital care.1 Before recommending that this preventive strategy be implemented in clinical practice, however, the cost implications must be thoroughly examined as well.

METHODS

The present analysis performs net cost evaluations of the MTI for the prevention of delirium among hospitalized patients. Hospital charge and cost-to-charge ratio data are linked to a database of 852 subjects, who were treated with MTI or usual care. Multivariable regression methods were used to help isolate the impact of MTI on hospital costs. These results were then combined with our earlier work on the impact of the MTI on delirium prevention to assess the cost effectiveness of this intervention.

RESULTS

The MTI significantly reduced nonintervention costs among subjects at intermediate risk for developing delirium, but not among subjects at high risk. When MTI intervention costs were included, MTI had no significant effect on overall health care costs in the intermediate risk cohort, but raised overall costs in the high risk group.

CONCLUSIONS

Because the MTI prevented delirium in the intermediate risk group without raising costs, the conclusion reached is that it is a cost effective treatment option for patients at intermediate risk for developing delirium. In contrast, the results suggest that the MTI is not cost effective for subjects at high risk.

Risk adjustment for older hospitalized persons: a comparison of two methods of data collection for the Charlson index

To compare Charlson indices based on chart data and ICD-9 data for agreement overall and on rating specific comorbid conditions, and to compare mortality risks associated with these indices. Prospective cohort study. Six general medicine wards at Yale-New Haven Hospital. 524 consecutive patients who had no clinical evidence of delirium at enrollment, admitted between November 6, 1989 and July 31, 1991, aged 70 years or older. Death within 1 year of the index hospital admission date. Scores using the chart-based data were significantly higher than those using ICD-9 data. About half of the individual conditions showed fair-to-good agreement between the two scores, whereas the other half showed poor agreement. A comparison of mortality prediction indicated that the weightings assigned to individual comorbidities differed substantially from those used in Charlson's original index. While mortality prediction of each individual index was comparable, the ICD-9 and chart indices contributed independently to mortality prediction in the presence of the other. Low agreement between Charlson scores based on the two methods of data collection and their cumulative contribution to mortality prediction suggest that these indices may include different information. Our results suggest that the original Charlson index may not provide optimal risk adjustment for elderly general medicine samples. We suggest development of an empirically-derived index of comorbid conditions and weights may be warranted for older general medical patients.

Goals for the care of frail older adults: do caregivers and clinicians agree?

PURPOSE

Establishing shared treatment goals for patients may improve the quality of care by facilitating achievement of appropriate and desired outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe types of family caregiver and physician treatment goals for frail elderly patients who had a high prevalence of cognitive impairment, and to ascertain the level of agreement between family caregivers and physicians on principal treatment goals.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

We surveyed family caregivers and physicians for 200 consecutive older adults who were initially evaluated at the outpatient geriatric assessment center of a major teaching hospital. Treatment goals for patients were measured after a comprehensive geriatric assessment.

RESULTS

Goals commonly chosen as most important by family caregivers and physicians pertained to day-to-day functioning (61 [31%] family caregivers, 81 [41%] physicians), behavior and emotional health (56 [28%] family caregivers, 50 [25%] physicians), and safety (40 [20%] family caregivers, 29 [15%] physicians). Although a substantial proportion of family caregiver and physician pairs shared at least one goal (157 [79%] of 200), agreement on presence or absence of individual categories of goals was poor (kappas from -0.19 to 0.28), and agreement on the most important goal was also poor (kappa 0.20).

CONCLUSIONS

Agreement on treatment goals between family caregivers and physicians for patients at the study site was low. These results suggest that encounters between family caregiver and physician may need improvement. Further research is needed to assess whether lack of agreement is found in other settings, persists over time, and affects achievement of goals and optimal health outcomes.

Methodologic issues in conducting research on hospitalized older people

OBJECTIVE

To describe challenges in conducting research with hospitalized geriatric patients.

DESIGN

Quasi-experimental longitudinal study with inperson interviews at baseline and discharge and a three-month postdischarge telephone interview. Study protocol required baseline interviews within 48 hours of admission for patients or 72 hours for proxies.

SETTING

813-bed urban teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

240 patients, mean age 83.8 years, at moderate to high risk for functional decline during hospitalization, admitted from the emergency room to a general medical unit.

MEASUREMENTS

Delays starting or interruptions continuing interviews; patient and environmental conditions potentially affecting data quality; and information on proxy use.

RESULTS

Timely access to patients or proxies was a major difficulty, resulting in the screening of only 53.1% of 867 potentially eligible patients. Multiple patient contacts and visits were required to complete interviews. Only 61.3% of baseline and 28.1% of follow-up interviews were completed on the initial day of contact. Despite having on-site interviewers 7 days a week, 29% of discharge interviews were conducted by telephone. Interviews were >90% complete in 487 of 503 of encounters (97%). Baseline delays and interruptions were usually due to the presence of medical staff, off-unit tests, patient illness, nurse unavailability for interview, and need for a proxy. Most in-hospital interviews were conducted with others present. Proxies were required for approximately one-third of patients at all three interviews.

CONCLUSION

Conducting clinical research with older adults in the current inpatient setting, where patients are more severely ill yet have shorter lengths of stay now than in the past, proves a challenging yet achievable goal. Effective procedures for negotiating the acute care environment are critical to successful studies.

The impact of delirium in the intensive care unit on hospital length of stay

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To determine the relationship between delirium in the intensive care unit (ICU) and outcomes including length of stay in the hospital.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study.

SETTING

The adult medical ICU of a tertiary care, university-based medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

The study population consisted of 48 patients admitted to the ICU, 24 of whom received mechanical ventilation.

MEASUREMENTS

All patients were evaluated for the development and persistence of delirium on a daily basis by a geriatric or psychiatric specialist with expertise in delirium assessment using the Diagnostic Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV) criteria of the American Psychiatric Association, the reference standard for delirium ratings. Primary outcomes measured were length of stay in the ICU and hospital.

RESULTS

The mean onset of delirium was 2.6 days (S.D.+/-1.7), and the mean duration was 3.4+/-1.9 days. Of the 48 patients, 39 (81.3%) developed delirium, and of these 29 (60.4%) developed the complication while still in the ICU. The duration of delirium was associated with length of stay in the ICU ( r=0.65, P=0.0001) and in the hospital ( r=0.68, P<0.0001). Using multivariate analysis, delirium was the strongest predictor of length of stay in the hospital ( P=0.006) even after adjusting for severity of illness, age, gender, race, and days of benzodiazepine and narcotic drug administration.

CONCLUSIONS

In this patient cohort, the majority of patients developed delirium in the ICU, and delirium was the strongest independent determinant of length of stay in the hospital. Further study and monitoring of delirium in the ICU and the risk factors for its development are warranted.

The Hospital Elder Life Program: a model of care to prevent cognitive and functional decline in older hospitalized patients. Hospital Elder Life Program

OBJECTIVES

To describe the Hospital Elder Life Program, a new model of care designed to prevent functional and cognitive decline of older persons during hospitalization. PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND PROCESS: All patients aged > or =70 years on specified units are screened on admission for six risk factors (cognitive impairment, sleep deprivation, immobility, dehydration, vision or hearing impairment). Targeted interventions for these risk factors are implemented by an interdisciplinary team-including a geriatric nurse specialist, Elder Life Specialists, trained volunteers, and geriatricians--who work closely with primary nurses. Other experts provide consultation at twice-weekly interdisciplinary rounds.

INTERVENTION

Adherence is carefully tracked. Quality assurance procedures and performance reviews are an integral part of the program.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

To date, 1,507 patients have been enrolled during 1,716 hospital admissions. The overall intervention adherence rate was 89% for at least partial adherence with all interventions during 37,131 patient-days. Our results indicate that only 8% of admissions involved patients who declined by 2 or more points on MMSE and only 14% involved patients who declined by 2 or more points on ADL score. Comparative results for the control group from the clinical trial were 26% and 33%, and from previous studies 14 to 56% and 34 to 50% for cognitive and functional decline, respectively. Effectiveness of the program for delirium prevention and of the program's nonpharmacologic sleep protocol have been demonstrated previously.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the Hospital Elder Life Program successfully prevents cognitive and functional decline in at-risk older patients. The program is unique in its hospital-wide focus; in providing skilled staff and volunteers to implement interventions; and in targeting practical interventions toward evidence-based risk factors. Future studies are needed to evaluate cost-effectiveness and longterm outcomes of the program as well as its effectiveness in non-hospital settings.

The Hospital Elder Life Program: a model of care to prevent cognitive and functional decline in older hospitalized patients. Hospital Elder Life Program

OBJECTIVES

To describe the Hospital Elder Life Program, a new model of care designed to prevent functional and cognitive decline of older persons during hospitalization. PROGRAM STRUCTURE AND PROCESS: All patients aged > or =70 years on specified units are screened on admission for six risk factors (cognitive impairment, sleep deprivation, immobility, dehydration, vision or hearing impairment). Targeted interventions for these risk factors are implemented by an interdisciplinary team-including a geriatric nurse specialist, Elder Life Specialists, trained volunteers, and geriatricians--who work closely with primary nurses. Other experts provide consultation at twice-weekly interdisciplinary rounds.

INTERVENTION

Adherence is carefully tracked. Quality assurance procedures and performance reviews are an integral part of the program.

PROGRAM OUTCOMES

To date, 1,507 patients have been enrolled during 1,716 hospital admissions. The overall intervention adherence rate was 89% for at least partial adherence with all interventions during 37,131 patient-days. Our results indicate that only 8% of admissions involved patients who declined by 2 or more points on MMSE and only 14% involved patients who declined by 2 or more points on ADL score. Comparative results for the control group from the clinical trial were 26% and 33%, and from previous studies 14 to 56% and 34 to 50% for cognitive and functional decline, respectively. Effectiveness of the program for delirium prevention and of the program's nonpharmacologic sleep protocol have been demonstrated previously.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the Hospital Elder Life Program successfully prevents cognitive and functional decline in at-risk older patients. The program is unique in its hospital-wide focus; in providing skilled staff and volunteers to implement interventions; and in targeting practical interventions toward evidence-based risk factors. Future studies are needed to evaluate cost-effectiveness and longterm outcomes of the program as well as its effectiveness in non-hospital settings.

Prevention of delirium in hospitalized older patients: risk factors and targeted intervention strategies

Delirium is a common, costly, and potentially devastating condition for hospitalized older patients. Delirium is a multifactorial syndrome, involving the inter-relationship between patient vulnerability, or predisposing factors at admission, and noxious insults or precipitating factors during hospitalization. Through a series of studies, we first identified significant predisposing factors for delirium, including vision impairment, severe illness, cognitive impairment, and dehydration. Subsequently, significant precipitating factors were identified, including physical restraint use, malnutrition, adding more than three drugs, bladder catheter use, and any iatrogenic event. Through targeting preventive strategies towards six identified risk factors in a controlled clinical trial, we were successful in the primary prevention of delirium. In 852 subjects, the incidence of delirium was significantly reduced in the intervention group compared with usual care (9.9% vs 15.0%, matched odds ratio: 0.60; 95% confidence interval: 0.39-0.92). The total number of days and episodes of delirium were also significantly reduced in the intervention group. Based on this work, evidence-based recommendations for delirium prevention are proposed. While not all cases of delirium will be preventable with this approach, unifying medical and epidemiological approaches to delirium represents a key advance essential to reducing the high morbidity and mortality associated with delirium in the older population.

Goals in geriatric assessment: are we measuring the right outcomes?

Previous evaluative studies of outpatient geriatric assessment have focused on a limited set of outcomes related to functioning, health services utilization, and costs. The purpose of this study was to identify important goals for care as described by patients and family caregivers being cared for in this setting. Using a cross-section of 226 consecutive sets of patients and their primary family caregivers, physicians, and case managers, goals of care for individual patients were coded from open-ended interview responses. The most common categories of goals expressed by family caregivers were obtaining education and referrals (57.5%) and improving social and family relationships (53.0%). The process of establishing and meeting such goals should be explicitly included in the design of future evaluations of outpatient geriatric assessment.

Predisposing and precipitating factors for delirium in hospitalized older patients

Delirium is a common and serious problem for older hospitalized patients. This investigation proposes a multifactorial model of delirium etiology, involving a complex interrelationship of predisposing (vulnerability) factors and precipitating factors (acute insults). An overview of risk factors for delirium identified in 14 studies published since 1980 is provided. Although these studies identify key risk factors for delirium, they do not allow the examination of the interrelationship of predisposing and precipitating factors. Thus, we present two prospective cohort studies by our group which empirically examine: (1) predisposing (vulnerability) factors, (2) precipitating factors, and (3) the interrelationship of predisposing and precipitating factors. Understanding these risk factors is the key to developing appropriate preventive strategies and to target intermediate and high risk patients for intervention efforts.

Goal-setting in clinical medicine

The process of setting goals for medical care in the context of chronic disease has received little attention in the medical literature, despite the importance of goal-setting in the achievement of desired outcomes. Using qualitative research methods, this paper develops a theory of goal-setting in the care of patients with dementia. The theory posits several propositions. First, goals are generated from embedded values but are distinct from values. Goals vary based on specific circumstances and alternatives whereas values are person-specific and relatively stable in the face of changing circumstances. Second, goals are hierarchical in nature, with complex mappings between general and specific goals. Third, there are a number of factors that modify the goal-setting process, by affecting the generation of goals from values or the translation of general goals to specific goals. Modifying factors related to individuals include their degree of risk-taking, perceived self-efficacy, and acceptance of the disease. Disease factors that modify the goal-setting process include the urgency and irreversibility of the medical condition. Pertinent characteristics of the patient-family-clinician interaction include the level of participation, control, and trust among patients, family members, and clinicians. The research suggests that the goal-setting process in clinical medicine is complex, and the potential for disagreements regarding goals substantial. The nature of the goal-setting process suggests that explicit discussion of goals for care may be necessary to promote effective patient-family-clinician communication and adequate care planning.

Delirium: a symptom of how hospital care is failing older persons and a window to improve quality of hospital care

Delirium, or acute confusional state, which often results from hospital-related complications or inadequate hospital care for older patients, can serve as a marker of the quality of hospital care. By reviewing five pathways that can lead to a greater incidence of delirium--iatrogenesis, failure to recognize delirium in its early stages, attitudes toward the care of the elderly, the rapid pace and technological focus of health care, and the reduction in skilled nursing staff--we identify how future trends and cost-containment practices may exacerbate the problem. Examining delirium also provides an opportunity to improve the quality of hospital care for older persons. Interventions to reduce delirium would need to occur at the local and national levels. Local strategies would include routine cognitive assessment and the creation of systems to enhance geriatric care, such as incentives to change practice patterns, geriatric expertise, case management, and clinical pathways. National strategies might include providing education for physicians and nurses to improve the recognition of delirium and the awareness of its clinical implications, improving quality monitoring systems for delirium, and creating environments to facilitate the provision of high-quality geriatric care.

A multicomponent intervention to prevent delirium in hospitalized older patients

BACKGROUND

Since in hospitalized older patients delirium is associated with poor outcomes, we evaluated the effectiveness of a multicomponent strategy for the prevention of delirium.

METHODS

We studied 852 patients 70 years of age or older who had been admitted to the general-medicine service at a teaching hospital. Patients from one intervention unit and two usual-care units were enrolled by means of a prospective matching strategy. The intervention consisted of standardized protocols for the management of six risk factors for delirium: cognitive impairment, sleep deprivation, immobility, visual impairment, hearing impairment, and dehydration. Delirium, the primary outcome, was assessed daily until discharge.

RESULTS

Delirium developed in 9.9 percent of the intervention group as compared with 15.0 percent of the usual-care group, (matched odds ratio, 0.60; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.39 to 0.92). The total number of days with delirium (105 vs. 161, P=0.02) and the total number of episodes (62 vs. 90, P=0.03) were significantly lower in the intervention group. However, the severity of delirium and recurrence rates were not significantly different. The overall rate of adherence to the intervention was 87 percent, and the total number of targeted risk factors per patient was significantly reduced. Intervention was associated with significant improvement in the degree of cognitive impairment among patients with cognitive impairment at admission and a reduction in the rate of use of sleep medications among all patients. Among the other risk factors per patient there were trends toward improvement in immobility, visual impairment, and hearing impairment.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk-factor intervention strategy that we studied resulted in significant reductions in the number and duration of episodes of delirium in hospitalized older patients. The intervention had no significant effect on the severity of delirium or on recurrence rates; this finding suggests that primary prevention of delirium is probably the most effective treatment strategy.

Delirium in hospitalized older patients: recognition and risk factors

Delirium, or acute confusional state, represents a common, serious, potentially preventable and increasing problem for older hospitalized patients. This study is intended to improve overall understanding of the problem of delirium and thus to lessen its adverse impact on the older population. The specific aims of this study are (1) to examine the epidemiology of delirium in older patients; (2) to evaluate barriers to recognition; (3) to present the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) simplified algorithm to improve recognition; (4) to elucidate predisposing and precipitating factors for delirium; and (5) to propose preventive strategies. Delirium occurs in 10-60% of the older hospitalized population and is unrecognized in 32-66% of cases. The CAM algorithm provides a sensitive (94-100%), specific (90-95%), reliable, and easy to use means for identification of delirium. Four predisposing and five precipitating factors were identified and validated to identify patients at high risk for development of delirium. Primary prevention of delirium should address important delirium risk factors and target patients at intermediate to high risk for delirium at admission.

Screening for dementia in the outpatient setting: the time and change test

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate the Time and Change (T&C) test, a simple, standardized method for detecting dementia in a diverse older outpatient population with varying levels of education.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort validation study.

SETTING

Two outpatient clinics at an urban teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

The concurrent validation sample consisted of 100 consecutive outpatients 70 years of age or older who were 58% non-white and had a 16% dementia prevalence rate and educational levels ranging from 0 to 17+ years. Reliability was tested in a sample of 42 consecutive outpatients 75 years of age or older with a 36% dementia prevalence rate.

MEASUREMENTS

T&C ratings were validated against a reference standard based on the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale and the Mini-Mental State Examination. Reliability, contribution to physician recognition of dementia, and ease of use were assessed.

RESULTS

In the outpatient setting, the T&C had a sensitivity of 63%, specificity of 96%, a negative predictive value of 93%, a positive predictive value of 77%, and test-retest and inter-observer reliability agreement rates of 95% and 100%, respectively. When T&C results were added to the physician's documentation of dementia, the number of missed cases decreased from 44% to 19%, and the number of overcalled cases decreased by 100%. When timed cut points were added, the T&C test had a sensitivity of 94 to 100%, specificity of 37 to 46%, negative predictive value of 98 to 100%, positive predictive value of 23 to 25%, and test-retest and inter-observer agreement rates of 82% and 70 to 75%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The T&C test is a simple, accurate, reliable, performance-based tool that can improve physician ability to recognize dementia in diverse outpatient populations.

Delirium in hospitalized older patients

Delirium is a common, serious problem for hospitalized older patients. Recognition of delirium poses challenges requiring cognitive assessment and knowledge of the clinical course. Delirium often is of multiple causes and is associated with a poor long-term prognosis. Nonpharmacologic approaches for delirium management are recommended; pharmacologic management should be reserved for patients who pose a danger to themselves or others. Importantly, delirium and its complications may be preventable through a targeted risk factor approach.

Prospective individual matching: covariate balance and power in a comparative study

In phase II to phase IV studies, randomization has gained widespread acceptance as a methodologic tool for the allocation of patients to treatment. However, randomization is not always feasible. At times, the treatment intervention occurs universally throughout one or more units (for example, a hospital unit), while the control therapy is the only intervention provided in other units. Patients may arrive randomly at a unit, based solely on availability of the unit to accept new subjects. Thus, the treatment assignment process is out of the investigator's control and not subject to selection bias. We describe a prospective individual matching procedure through which one can achieve balanced allocation of subjects to treatment groups in this comparative study setting. In this paper, we compare balance of baseline covariates and power for this design, in which the subject is selected at random and assigned to a treatment group, and the traditional randomized block design, in which the treatment is chosen at random and assigned to a subject. We show that the prospective individual matching procedure compares favourably to the traditional randomized blocked design with respect to both baseline covariate comparability and statistical power.

A nonpharmacologic sleep protocol for hospitalized older patients

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the feasibility of and adherence to a nonpharmacologic sleep protocol targeted to nurses for acutely ill older patients and to test the effectiveness of the protocol on enhancing sleep and reducing sedative-hypnotic drug (SHD) use.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

A 34-bed general medical unit in a university-affiliated teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 175 consecutive admissions aged 70 years or older.

INTERVENTION

A nonpharmacologic sleep protocol consisting of a back rub, warm drink, and relaxation tapes was administered by nursing personnel to patients who complained of difficulty initiating sleep or who requested a SHD. After 1 hour, if the patient still requested it, the nurse administered the SHD.

MEASUREMENTS

The main outcomes of sleep quality and SHD use were measured by patient interview and chart abstraction. Feasibility and adherence to the protocol were tracked daily by patient and nurse interviews and chart abstraction.

RESULTS

A cohort of 111 patients, mean age 79.3 (+/- 6.4), 68% women, received the sleep protocol. Patients required the protocol for a mean of 4.9 days per patient, totalling 539 patients-days. The overall adherence rate was 400/539 (74%) patient-days. The rate of complete nonadherence was 139/539 (26%), with reasons for nonadherence including nurse nonadherence in 30 (6%), patient refusal in 104 (19%), and medical contraindications in five (1%). The quality of sleep correlated strongly with the number of parts of the protocol received, suggesting a dose-response relationship, with the highest correlation for receiving two to three parts (p = .64, P < 0.001). The sleep protocol was successful in reducing SHD use from the baseline preintervention rate of 51/94 (54%) to 34/111 (31%) (P < .002). The sleep protocol had a stronger association with quality of sleep (p = .75, P = .001) than did SHDs (p = .07, P = .45). However, chronic SHD users were more likely to refuse the protocol than nonusers (64% vs 41%, P < .03) and received SHDs 4.5 times more often than nonusers (67% vs 15%, P = .001).

CONCLUSION

The nonpharmacologic sleep protocol provides a feasible, effective, and nontoxic alternative to SHDs to promote sleep in older hospitalized patients. Use of the protocol can substantially decrease use of SHDs.

Importance of functional measures in predicting mortality among older hospitalized patients

CONTEXT

Measures of physical and cognitive function are strong prognostic predictors of hospital outcomes for older persons, but current risk adjustment and burden of illness assessment indices do not include these measures.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate and validate the contribution of functional measures to the ability of 5 standard burden of illness indices (Charlson, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation [APACHE] II, Disease Staging, All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups, and a clinician's subjective rating) in predicting 90-day and 2-year mortality among older hospitalized patients.

DESIGN

Two prospective cohort studies.

SETTING

General medicine service, university teaching hospital.

PATIENTS

For the development cohort, 207 consecutive patients aged 70 years or older, and for the validation cohort, 318 comparable patients.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Death within 90 days and 2 years from the index admission.

RESULTS

In the development cohort, 29 patients (14%) and 81 patients (39%) died within 90 days and 2 years, respectively. A functional axis was developed using 3 independent risk factors: impairment in instrumental activities of daily living, Mini-Mental State Examination score of less than 20, and shortened Geriatric Depression Scale score of 7 or higher, creating low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups with associated mortality rates of 20%, 32%, and 60%, respectively (P<.001); the C statistic for the final model was 0.69. The corresponding mortality rates in the validation cohort, in which 59 (19%) and 138 (43%) died within 90 days and 2 years, respectively, were 24%, 45%, and 60% (P<.001); the C statistic for the final model was 0.66. For each burden of illness index, the functional axis contributed significantly to the predictive ability of the model for both 90 days and 2 years. When the functional axis and each burden of illness measure were analyzed in cross-stratified format, mortality rates increased progressively from low-risk to high-risk functional groups within strata of burden of illness indices (double-gradient phenomenon). The contributions of functional and burden of illness measures were substantive and interrelated.

CONCLUSIONS

Functional measures are strong predictors of 90-day and 2-year mortality after hospitalization. Furthermore, these measures contribute substantially to the prognostic ability of 5 burden of illness indices. Optimal risk adjustment for older hospitalized patients should incorporate functional status variables.

Does delirium contribute to poor hospital outcomes? A three-site epidemiologic study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the independent contribution of admission delirium to hospital outcomes including mortality, institutionalization, and functional decline.

DESIGN

Three prospective cohort studies.

SETTING

Three university-affiliated teaching hospitals.

PATIENTS

Consecutive samples of 727 patients, aged 65 years and older.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Delirium was present at admission in 88 (12%) of 727 patients. The main outcome measures at hospital discharge and 3-month follow-up were death, new nursing home placement, death or new nursing home placement, and functional decline. At hospital discharge, new nursing home placement occurred in 60 (9%) of 692 patients, and the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for delirium, controlling for baseline covariates of age, gender, dementia, APACHE II score, and functional measures, was 3.0, (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4, 6.2). Death or new nursing home placement occurred in 95 (13%) of 727 patients (adjusted OR for delirium 2.1, 95% CI 1.1, 4.0). The findings were replicated across all sites. The associations between delirium and death alone (in 35 [5%] of 727 patients) and between delirium and length of stay were not statistically significant. At 3-month follow-up, new nursing home placement occurred in 77 (13%) of 600 patients (adjusted OR for delirium 3.0; 95% CI 1.5, 6.0). Death or new nursing home placement occurred in 165 (25%) of 663 patients (adjusted OR for delirium 2.6; 95% CI 1.4, 4.5). The findings were replicated across all sites. For death alone (in 98 [14%] of 680 patients), the adjusted OR for delirium was 1.6 (95% CI 0.8, 3.2). Delirium was a significant predictor of functional decline at both hospital discharge (adjusted OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.6, 5.8) and follow-up (adjusted OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.4, 5.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Delirium is an important independent prognostic determinant of hospital outcomes including new nursing home placement, death or new nursing home placement, and functional decline-even after controlling for age, gender, dementia, illness severity, and functional status. Thus, delirium should be considered as a prognostic variable in case-mix adjustment systems and in studies examining hospital outcomes in older persons.

The informed consent process in older patients who developed delirium: a clinical epidemiologic study

PURPOSE

Delirium, defined as an acute, fluctuating disorder of attention and cognition, is a serious and increasingly common problem for hospitalized older persons. Delirium poses unique ethical challenges for the informed consent process, notably the preservation of patient autonomy in the face of potentially fluctuating decision-making capacity. To clarify these issues, we examined the informed consent process in a group of hospitalized older patients who developed delirium.

PATIENTS

Eighty-four hospitalized patients aged >70 years who developed delirium during hospitalization at a large urban teaching hospital.

METHODS

We conducted a clinical epidemiologic investigation of informed consent in 173 medical and surgical procedures performed in 84 patients. Clinical researchers carried out detailed cognitive evaluation of patients on or near the consent date. A separate blinded researcher extracted medical record information on the procedures and informed consent process variables.

RESULTS

Of 173 procedures, 33 (19%) had no documentation of any consent, and 34 (20%) used surrogate consent. There were no documented assessments of competency/ decisional capacity; cognitive assessments were done in 7 (4%) cases, and legal consults in 2 (1%) cases. Discussion of potential risks of the procedure with patient or surrogate were documented in 61 (35%) cases. In multivariable analysis, independent predictors for failure to obtain consent were presence of delirium (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3, 5.3) and less invasive procedure (OR = 5.0, CI 2.0, 12.8). Although cognitive impairment predicted surrogate use, we found that 47% of cases with substantial impairment did not involve use of a surrogate, whereas surrogates signed for 4% of cases with normal mental status near the time of consent.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results highlight the ethical challenges that delirium poses for the informed consent process, including the high rate of no consent, lack of cognitive and decisional capacity assessment, and inconsistent surrogate use.

Functional outcomes of acute medical illness and hospitalization in older persons

BACKGROUND

Short-stay hospitalization in older patients is frequently associated with a loss of function, which can lead to a need for postdischarge assistance and longer-term institutionalization. Because little is known about this adverse outcome of hospitalization, this study was conducted to (1) determine the discharge and 3-month postdischarge functional outcomes for a large cohort of older persons hospitalized for medical illness, (2) determine the extent to which patients were able to recover to preadmission levels of functioning after hospital discharge, and (3) identify the patient factors associated with an increased risk of developing disability associated with acute illness and hospitalization.

METHODS

A total of 1279 community-dwelling patients, aged 70 years and older, hospitalized for acute medical illness were enrolled in this multicenter, prospective cohort study. Functional measurements obtained at discharge (Activities of Daily Living) and at 3 months after discharge (Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living) were compared with a preadmission baseline level of functioning to document loss and recovery of functioning.

RESULTS

At discharge, 59% of the study population reported no change, 10% improved, and 31% declined in Activities of Daily Living when compared with the preadmission baseline. At the 3-month follow-up, 51% of the original study population, for whom postdischarge data were available (n=1206), were found to have died (11%) or to report new Activities of Daily Living and/or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living disabilities (40%) when compared with the preadmission baseline. Among survivors, 19% reported a new Activities of Daily Living and 40% reported a new Instrumental Activities of Daily Living disability at follow-up. The 3-month outcomes were the result of the loss of function during the index hospitalization, the failure of many patients to recover after discharge, and the development of new postdischarge disabilities. Patients at greatest risk of adverse functional outcomes at follow-up were older, had preadmission Instrumental Activities of Daily Living disabilities and lower mental status scores on admission, and had been rehospitalized.

CONCLUSION

This study documents a high incidence of functional decline after hospitalization for acute medial illness. Although there are several potential explanations for these findings, this study suggests a need to reexamine current inpatient and postdischarge practices that might influence the functioning of older patients.

Hospital admission risk profile (HARP): identifying older patients at risk for functional decline following acute medical illness and hospitalization

OBJECTIVES

To develop and validate an instrument for stratifying older patients at the time of hospital admission according to their risk of developing new disabilities in activities of daily living (ADL) following acute medical illness and hospitalization.

DESIGN

Multi-center prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Four university and two private non-federal acute care hospitals.

PATIENTS

The development cohort consists of 448 patients and the validation cohort consists of 379 patients who were aged 70 and older and who were hospitalized for acute medical illness between 1989 and 1992.

MEASUREMENTS

All patients were evaluated on hospital admission to identify baseline demographic and functional characteristics and were then assessed at discharge and 3 months after discharge to determine decline in ADL functioning.

RESULTS

Logistic regression analysis identified three patient characteristics that were independent predictors of functional decline in the development cohort: increasing age, lower admission Mini-Mental Status Exam scores, and lower preadmission IADL function. A scoring system was developed for each predictor variable and patients were assigned to low, intermediate, and high risk categories. The rates of ADL decline at discharge for the low, intermediate, and high risk categories were 17%, 28%, and 56% in the development cohort and 19%, 31%, and 55% in the validation cohort, respectively. Patients in the low risk category were significantly more likely to recover ADL function and to avoid nursing home placement during the 3 months after discharge.

CONCLUSION

Hospital Admission Risk Profile (HARP) is a simple instrument that can be used to identify patients at risk of functional decline following hospitalization. HARP can be used to identify patients who might benefit from comprehensive discharge planning, specialized geriatric care, and experimental interventions designed to prevent/reduce the development of disability in hospitalized older populations.

The dilemma of delirium: clinical and research controversies regarding diagnosis and evaluation of delirium in hospitalized elderly medical patients

Delirium, with occurrence rates from 14% to 56%, associated mortality rates from 10% to 65%, and excess annual health care expenditures from $1 to $2 billion, poses a common and serious problem for hospitalized elderly patients. Delirium is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed by physicians caring for elderly patients. Cognitive testing is rarely done as part of the admission evaluation of elderly hospitalized patients. Specific diagnosis has been difficult, since diagnostic criteria and instruments are still being developed. The etiology of delirium is complex and multifactorial, and both predisposing (host vulnerability) and precipitating factors must be considered. The recommended approach to the evaluation of delirium is empiric, in the absence of objective efficacy data. The cornerstone of evaluation includes a careful history, physical examination, and review of the medication list--since medications are the most common reversible cause of delirium. Research is needed to establish a cost-effective approach and to clarify the role of further testing, such as cerebrospinal fluid examination, brain imaging, and electroencephalography. This article is intended to heighten the awareness of clinicians as well as to stimulate research to address this important, neglected problem for elderly hospitalized patients.

Delirium in hospitalized older persons: outcomes and predictors

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was fourfold; to determine the rate of delirium among hospitalized older persons, to contrast the clinical outcomes of patients with and without delirium, to identify clinical predictors of delirium, and to validate the predictive model in an independent sample of patients.

DESIGN

Two prospective cohort studies

SETTING

Medical and surgical wards of 2 university teaching hospitals.

PATIENTS

In the derivation cohort, 432 patients were enrolled from the University of Chicago Hospitals. Patients 65 years of age or older admitted to 1 of 4 wards were eligible. Subjects were excluded if they were discharged within 48 hours of admission, unavailable to the research assistants during the first 2 days of hospitalization, or judged too impaired to participate in the daily interviews. In the test cohort, 323 patients 70 years of age or older admitted to Yale-New Haven Hospital were studied.

MEASUREMENTS

Subjects were screened for delirium daily and referred to experienced clinician investigators if acute mental status changes were observed. The clinician investigators assessed the patient for delirium based on DSM-III-R criteria. Duration of hospitalization was adjusted for diagnosis-related groups (DRG) and mortality rates were determined at discharge and 90 days after discharge. Sociodemographic characteristics, cognitive and functional status, comorbidity, depression, and alcoholism were examined as predictors of delirium.

MAIN RESULTS

The rate of delirium in the derivation cohort was 15%; subjects with delirium had longer hospital stays and an increased risk of in-hospital death. Cognitive impairment, burden of comorbidity, depression, and alcoholism were found to be independent predictors of delirium. The ability of the model to stratify patients as low, moderate, or high risk for developing delirium was validated in the test cohort in which the rate of delirium was 26%.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms the high rate of delirium among hospitalized older persons and the associated adverse outcomes of prolonged hospital stays and increased risk of death. Patients can be stratified according to their risk for developing delirium using relatively few clinical characteristics which should be assessed, on all hospitalized older persons.

A controlled trial of a nursing-centered intervention in hospitalized elderly medical patients: the Yale Geriatric Care Program

OBJECTIVE

To test the effectiveness of a nursing-centered intervention to prevent functional decline among hospitalized elderly medical patients.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study with stratified and matched cohort analyses.

SETTING

General medicine wards of a university teaching hospital.

PATIENTS

Two hundred sixteen patients aged > or = 70 years (85 intervention and 131 control patients).

INTERVENTION

The intervention included identification and surveillance of frail older patients, twice-weekly rounds of the Geriatric Care Team, and a nursing-centered educational program.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Functional decline, defined as a net decline in five activities of daily living (ADLs).

RESULTS

In stratified analyses, the intervention resulted in a beneficial effect with a relative risk of 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54 to 1.24) in patients (n = 106) with one of four geriatric target conditions at baseline (eg, delirium, functional impairment, incontinence, and pressure sores). The intervention had no effect in patients without target conditions at baseline (n = 110); thus, this subgroup was excluded from further analyses. When patients were matched on number of target conditions and risk for functional decline at baseline (n = 66), the intervention resulted in a significant beneficial effect, with a reduction in functional decline from 64% in controls to 41% in the intervention group, for a relative risk of 0.64 (95% CI, 0.43 to 0.96). The intervention group had significantly less decline in ADL score and in individual ADLs than control subjects. Specific interventions aimed at maximizing function, such as physical therapy, were received more often by intervention patients; however, the beneficial effects of the intervention were achieved without increasing per-day hospital costs.

CONCLUSIONS

The intervention appears effective to decrease functional decline in targeted elderly hospitalized medical patients.

A predictive index for functional decline in hospitalized elderly medical patients

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively develop and validate a predictive index to identify on admission elderly hospitalized medical patients at risk for functional decline.

DESIGN

Two prospective cohort studies, in tandem. The predictive model developed in the initial cohort was subsequently validated in a separate cohort.

SETTING

General medical wards of a university teaching hospital.

PATIENTS

For the development cohort, 188 hospitalized general medical patients aged > or = 70 years. For the validation cohort, 142 comparable patients.

MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS

The subjects and their nurses were interviewed twice weekly using standardized, validated instruments. Functional decline occurred among 51/188 (27%) patients in the development cohort. Four independent baseline risk factors (RFs) for functional decline were identified: decubitus ulcer (adjusted relative risk [RR] 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4, 5.2); cognitive impairment (RR 1.7; CI 0.9, 3.1); functional impairment (RR 1.8; CI 1.0, 3.3); and low social activity level (RR 2.4; CI 1.2, 5.1). A risk-stratification system was developed by adding the numbers of RFs. Rates of functional decline for the low- (0 RF), intermediate- (1-2 RFs), and high- (3-4 RFs) risk groups were 8%, 28%, and 63%, respectively (p < 0.0001). The corresponding rates in the validation cohort, of whom 34/142 (24%) developed functional decline, were 6%, 29%, and 83% (p < 0.0001). The rates of death or nursing home placement, clinical outcomes associated with functional decline in the hospital, were 6%, 19%, and 41% (p < 0.002) in the development cohort and 10%, 32%, and 67% (p < 0.001) in the validation cohort, respectively, for the three risk groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Functional decline among hospitalized elderly patients is common, and a simple predictive model based on four risk factors can be used on admission to identify elderly persons at greatest risk.

The Yale Geriatric Care Program: a model of care to prevent functional decline in hospitalized elderly patients

OBJECTIVE

To describe the structure and implementation of the Yale Geriatric Care Program, an innovative, nursing-centered model for developing geriatric nursing expertise throughout an acute-care hospital.

DESIGN

Descriptive study of an intervention in a prospective cohort of patients.

SETTING

University teaching hospital.

PATIENTS

Two hundred forty four patients aged 70 years and older on four non-intensive care intervention units during the study period (July 9, 1990 to July 31, 1991).

INTERVENTION

The Geriatric Care Program involved an integrated model of primary nurses, specially trained unit-based geriatric resource nurses, gerontological nurse specialists, and geriatric physicians. The intervention included surveillance and identification of frail older patients, unit-based geriatric educational programs for all nurses, special education and support for the geriatric resource nurses, and twice-weekly rounds of the Geriatric Care Team.

RESULTS

The Geriatric Care Program has been successfully implemented on four units. The interventions ranged from general clarification of goals in 226 (92%) to specific recommendations for management of immobility in 100 (41%), bladder/bowel problems in 99 (41%), pressure ulcer treatment or prevention in 61 (25%), confusion evaluation or management in 62 (25%), and adjustment of medications in 43 (18%). Overall, 68% of the specific recommendations were documented to have been implemented. Barriers to implementation of the program have included initial difficulties with recruitment and retainment of geriatric resource nurses (due to high nursing turnover and the increased time commitment required), breakdown in communication and carryover of recommendations between nursing shifts, and obstacles to communication between the nursing and medical staff.

CONCLUSIONS

An innovative model of care, in which geriatric nursing was integrated as part of standard nursing care on selected medical and surgical units, has been designed and implemented. Evaluation of the effectiveness and costs of this intervention are currently underway.