Hypoactive delirium: assessing the extent of the problem for inpatient specialist palliative care

What are the experiences and support needs of district nurses caring for terminally ill people with delirium at home? A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a serious neuropsychiatric syndrome, which is common amongst terminally ill people in the community. District nurses have a key role in supporting terminally ill people to remain at home.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the experience and support needs of district nurses caring for people with delirium in home settings.

METHODS

Semi-structured individual and small group interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams with 12 district nurses in Scotland, UK. Data was analyzed using framework analysis. Data was coded both deductively and inductively.

RESULTS

Overarching themes were (i) challenges of delirium detection in the community, (ii) challenges managing delirium in the community, (iii) family carers as providers and recipients of care and (iv) education, training and support needs. Participants valued clinical judgement alone in detecting delirium, over use of formal assessment tools. Patients were referred to district nursing services at an advanced stage of their illness, with nurses needing to make rapid decisions about their care, sometimes with limited information. Participants were familiar with non-pharmacological strategies and the importance of family carer support, but uncertainty remained regarding pharmacological management of distressing symptoms. The term 'delirium' was rarely used. Challenges accessing timely advice and practical support from other health and social care professionals were reported. Participants identified delirium detection and the pharmacological management of persistent delirium as priorities for training.

CONCLUSION

Caring for terminally ill people with delirium in the community is challenging. Educational interventions may be beneficial in developing district nurses' confidence in supporting terminally ill patients and their families. Responsive advice and support are required from specialist palliative care services.

The 4AT, a rapid delirium detection tool for use in hospice inpatient units: Findings from a validation study

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a serious neuropsychiatric syndrome with adverse outcomes, which is common but often undiagnosed in terminally ill people. The 4 'A's test or 4AT (www.the4AT.com), a brief delirium detection tool, is widely used in general settings, but validation studies in terminally ill people are lacking.

AIM

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the 4AT in detecting delirium in terminally ill people, who are hospice inpatients.

DESIGN

A diagnostic test accuracy study in which participants underwent the 4AT and a reference standard based on the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The reference standard was informed by Delirium Rating Scale Revised-98 and tests assessing arousal and attention. Assessments were conducted in random order by pairs of independent raters, blinded to the results of the other assessment.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

Two hospice inpatient units in Scotland, UK. Participants were 148 hospice inpatients aged ⩾18 years.

RESULTS

A total of 137 participants completed both assessments. Three participants had an indeterminate reference standard diagnosis and were excluded, yielding a final sample of 134. Mean age was 70.3 (SD = 10.6) years. About 33% (44/134) had reference standard delirium. The 4AT had a sensitivity of 89% (95% CI 79%-98%) and a specificity of 94% (95% CI 90%-99%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.97 (95% CI 0.94-1).

CONCLUSION

The results of this validation study support use of the 4AT as a delirium detection tool in hospice inpatients, and add to the literature evaluating methods of delirium detection in palliative care settings.

TRIAL REGISTRY

ISCRTN 97417474.

Alpha-synuclein pre-formed fibrils injected into prefrontal cortex primarily spread to cortical and subcortical structures and lead to isolated behavioral symptoms

Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) are characterized by diffuse spread of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) throughout the brain. Patients with PDD and DLB have a neuropsychological pattern of deficits that include executive dysfunction, such as abnormalities in planning, timing, working memory, and behavioral flexibility. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a major role in normal executive function and often develops α-syn aggregates in DLB and PDD. To investigate the consequences of α-syn pathology in the cortex, we injected human α-syn pre-formed fibrils into the PFC of wildtype mice. We report that PFC PFFs: 1) induced α-syn aggregation in multiple cortical and subcortical regions with sparse aggregation in midbrain and brainstem nuclei; 2) did not affect interval timing or spatial learning acquisition but did mildly alter behavioral flexibility as measured by intraday reversal learning; 3) increased open field exploration; and 4) did not affect susceptibility to an inflammatory challenge. This model of cortical-dominant pathology aids in our understanding of how local α-syn aggregation might impact some symptoms in PDD and DLB.

Risk factors for delirium in adult patients receiving specialist palliative care: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Delirium is common and distressing for patients receiving palliative care. Interventions targetting modifiable risk factors in other settings have been shown to prevent delirium. Research on delirium risk factors in palliative care can inform context-specific risk-reduction interventions.

AIM

To investigate risk factors for the development of delirium in adult patients receiving specialist palliative care.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO CRD42019157168).

DATA SOURCES

CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Embase, MEDLINE and PsycINFO (1980-2021) were searched for studies reporting the association of risk factors with delirium incidence/prevalence for patients receiving specialist palliative care. Study risk of bias and certainty of evidence for each risk factor were assessed.

RESULTS

Of 28 included studies, 16 conducted only univariate analysis, 12 conducted multivariate analysis. The evidence for delirium risk factors was limited with low to very low certainty.

POTENTIALLY MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS

Opioids and lower performance status were positively associated with delirium, with some evidence also for dehydration, hypoxaemia, sleep disturbance, liver dysfunction and infection. Mixed, or very limited, evidence was found for some factors targetted in multicomponent prevention interventions: sensory impairments, mobility, catheter use, polypharmacy (single study), pain, constipation, nutrition (mixed evidence).

NON-MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS

Older age, male sex, primary brain cancer or brain metastases and lung cancer were positively associated with delirium.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings may usefully inform interventions to reduce delirium risk but more high quality prospective cohort studies are required to enable greater certainty about associations of different risk factors with delirium during specialist palliative care.

The detection of delirium in admitted oncology patients: a scoping review

PURPOSE

Delirium leads to poor outcomes for patients and careers and has negative impacts on staff and service provision. Cancer rates in elderly populations are increasing and frequently, cancer diagnoses are a co-morbidity in the context of frailty. Data relating to the epidemiology of delirium in hospitalised cancer patients are limited. With the overarching purpose of improving delirium detection and reducing the morbidity and mortality of delirium in cancer patients, we reviewed the epidemiological data and approach to delirium detection in hospitalised, adult oncology patients.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and SCOPUS databases were searched from January 1996 to August 2017. Key concepts were delirium, cancer, inpatient oncology and delirium screening/detection.

RESULTS

Of 896 unique studies identified; 91 met full-text review criteria. Of 12 eligible studies, four applied recommended case ascertainment methods to all patients, three used delirium screening tools alone or with case ascertainment tools sub-optimally applied, four used tools not recommended for delirium screening or case ascertainment, one used the Confusion Assessment Method with insufficient information to determine if it met case ascertainment status. Two studies presented delirium incidence rates: 7.8%, and 17% respectively. Prevalence rates ranged from 18-33% for general medical or oncology wards; 42-58% for Acute Palliative Care Units (APCU); and for older cancer patients: 22% and 57%. Three studies reported reversibility; 26% and 49% respectively (APCUs) and 30% (older patients with cancer). Six studies had a low risk of bias according to QUADAS-2 criteria; all studies in the APCU setting were rated at higher risk of bias. Tool selection, study flow and recruitment bias reduced study quality.

CONCLUSION

The knowledge base for improved interventions and clinical care for adults with cancer and delirium is limited by the low number of studies. A clear distinction between screening tools and diagnostic tools is required to provide an improved understanding of the rates of delirium and its reversibility in this population.

Barriers to completing the 4AT for delirium and its clinical implementation in two hospitals: a mixed-methods study

Aim

To assess the clinical implementation and barriers to completing the 4AT for delirium in general medical and geriatric patients over 75 years upon admission to Wellington and Kenepuru Hospitals.

Findings

The 4AT is a feasible and sustainable tool for the assessment of delirium in the hospital setting. Most of the identified barriers to completing the 4AT are potentially reversible.

Message

Implementation of the 4AT may improve through education about these barriers and emphasising its validity in specific groups.

Purpose

To assess the clinical implementation and barriers to completing the 4AT for delirium in general medical and geriatric patients over 75 years upon admission to Wellington and Kenepuru Hospitals during the first eight months of 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Methods

Retrospective data from electronic health records were analysed using an explanatory-sequential mixed-methods approach. The initial quantitative phase measured doctors’ adherence to the 4AT and the rate of positive 4ATs (≥ 4). The subsequent qualitative phase identified doctors’ main reasons for omitting the 4AT through conventional content analysis.

Results

The quantitative population included 7799 acute admissions (mean age 84, 58.2% female). There was good clinical implementation of the 4AT, evidenced by an overall adherence rate of 83.2% and a rate of positive 4ATs of 14.8% that is in keeping with expected delirium rates in similar settings. The qualitative sample consisted of 875 acute admissions (mean age 84, 56.3% female) with documented reasons for omitting the 4AT. The main barriers to completing the 4AT were: reduced patient alertness, communication barriers (language, deafness, aphasia and dysarthria), prioritising patients’ wellness and comfort (addressing critical illnesses, symptoms, end-of-life issues and promoting sleep), pre-existing cognitive disorders, and unstructured delirium assessments.

Conclusion

Adherence to the 4AT was high and sustainable in both hospitals. Most barriers to completing the 4AT were potentially avoidable. Education about the 4AT in relation to these barriers may improve its implementation.

Validation of the 4AT tool for delirium assessment in specialist palliative care settings: protocol of a prospective diagnostic test accuracy study [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a serious and distressing neuropsychiatric condition, which is prevalent across all palliative care settings. Hypoactive delirium is particularly common, but difficult to recognize, partly due to overlapping symptoms with depression and dementia. Delirium screening tools can lead to earlier identification and hence better management of patients. The 4AT (4 'A's Test) is a brief tool for delirium detection, designed for use in clinical practice. It has been validated in 17 studies in over 3,700 patients. The test is currently used in specialist palliative care units, but has not been validated in this setting. The aim of the study is to determine the diagnostic accuracy of the 4AT for delirium detection against a reference standard, in hospice inpatients.

METHODS

240 participants will be recruited from the inpatient units of two hospices in Scotland. If a patient lacks capacity to consent, agreement will be sought from a legal proxy. Each participant will complete the 4AT and a reference standard assessment based on the diagnostic delirium criteria in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This will be supplemented by tests of cognition and attention, including reverse days of the week, counting down from 20 to 1, Vigilance 'A', the Observational Scale for Level of Arousal, the modified Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale and the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98. The assessments will be conducted in a randomized order by two independent clinicians, who will be blinded to the results until both are complete. Primary outcomes will be the sensitivity and specificity of the 4AT in detecting delirium.

DISCUSSION

The findings will inform clinical practice regarding delirium assessment in palliative care settings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN ISRCTN97417474 (21/02/2020).

Delirium screening tools validated in the context of palliative care: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a distressing neuropsychiatric disorder affecting patients in palliative care. Although many delirium screening tools exist, their utility, and validation within palliative care settings has not undergone systematic review.

AIM

To systematically review studies that validate delirium screening tools conducted in palliative care settings.

DESIGN

Systematic review with narrative synthesis (PROSPERO ID: CRD42019125481). A risk of bias assessment via Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 was performed.

DATA SOURCES

Five electronic databases were systematically searched (January 1, 1982-May 3, 2020). Quantitative studies validating a screening tool in adult palliative care patient populations were included. Studies involving alcohol withdrawal, critical or perioperative care were excluded.

RESULTS

Dual-reviewer screening of 3749 unique titles and abstracts identified 95 studies for full-text review and of these, 17 studies of 14 screening tools were included (n = 3496 patients). Data analyses revealed substantial heterogeneity in patient demographics and variability in screening and diagnostic practices that limited generalizability between study populations and care settings. A risk of bias assessment revealed methodological and reporting deficits, with only 3/17 studies at low risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

The processes of selecting a delirium screening tool and determining optimal screening practices in palliative care are complex. One tool is unlikely to fit the needs of the entire palliative care population across all palliative care settings. Further research should be directed at evaluating and/or adapting screening tools and practices to fit the needs of specific palliative care settings and populations.

Protocol for the Prognosticating Delirium Recovery Outcomes Using Wakefulness and Sleep Electroencephalography (P-DROWS-E) study: a prospective observational study of delirium in elderly cardiac surgical patients

INTRODUCTION

Delirium is a potentially preventable disorder characterised by acute disturbances in attention and cognition with fluctuating severity. Postoperative delirium is associated with prolonged intensive care unit and hospital stay, cognitive decline and mortality. The development of biomarkers for tracking delirium could potentially aid in the early detection, mitigation and assessment of response to interventions. Because sleep disruption has been posited as a contributor to the development of this syndrome, expression of abnormal electroencephalography (EEG) patterns during sleep and wakefulness may be informative. Here we hypothesise that abnormal EEG patterns of sleep and wakefulness may serve as predictive and diagnostic markers for postoperative delirium. Such abnormal EEG patterns would mechanistically link disrupted thalamocortical connectivity to this important clinical syndrome.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

P-DROWS-E (Prognosticating Delirium Recovery Outcomes Using Wakefulness and Sleep Electroencephalography) is a 220-patient prospective observational study. Patient eligibility criteria include those who are English-speaking, age 60 years or older and undergoing elective cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. EEG acquisition will occur 1-2 nights preoperatively, intraoperatively, and up to 7 days postoperatively. Concurrent with EEG recordings, two times per day postoperative Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) evaluations will quantify the presence and severity of delirium. EEG slow wave activity, sleep spindle density and peak frequency of the posterior dominant rhythm will be quantified. Linear mixed-effects models will be used to evaluate the relationships between delirium severity/duration and EEG measures as a function of time.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

P-DROWS-E is approved by the ethics board at Washington University in St. Louis. Recruitment began in October 2018. Dissemination plans include presentations at scientific conferences, scientific publications and mass media.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03291626.

The accuracy of delirium assessment by cardiologists treating heart failure inpatients: a single center retrospective survey

Background

Patients with heart failure (HF) accompanied by delirium are at risk of rehospitalization and death, thus early detection and appropriate treatment is imperative. Palliative care for patients with HF is an important issue, particularly for patients who also have delirium. This retrospective study examined the accuracy of delirium assessment by cardiologists treating patients with HF, identified factors related to the detection of delirium, and recorded the initial treatment.

Methods

This was a retrospective chart survey of 165 patients with HF referred to a consultation liaison (C-L) service during treatment in the cardiology wards of a general hospital over a 6-year period. Diagnosis of delirium by the C-L psychiatrists was based on DSM-IV-TR.

Cases in which cardiologists had stated “delirium” in the medical records were classified as an accurate assessment of delirium (Agreement group). Cases in which cardiologists did not state “delirium” were classified as Disagreement.

Results

Among 81 patients with delirium (51 [62.9%] male; 74.7 ± 13.3 years old), the ratio of accurate assessment of delirium by cardiologists was 50.6% (n = 41; Agreement group). Age, sex, and HF severity did not differ significantly between the two groups. Although disquietedness was identified most frequently (n = 59, 73%), only 33 of these 59 patients (55.9%) were recognized as having delirium by cardiologists.

Inappropriate initial treatments were only noted in the Disagreement group. In both groups, most cases were referred to a C-L service without new medication for psychiatric symptoms.

Conclusions

An accurate assessment of the delirium of inpatients with HF by cardiologists was found in only around half of all cases. Accurate detection is important to avoid harmful drug administration and to provide appropriate palliative care.

Managing delirium in terminally ill patients: perspective of palliative care nurse specialists

Delirium occurs frequently at end of life. Palliative care clinical nurse specialists (CNSs) are involved in community palliative care provision. Many patients prefer being cared for at home, yet managing delirium in this setting presents unique challenges, potentially resulting in emergency hospital or hospice admission. We examined the experiences and practice of palliative care CNSs managing delirium in the community; 10 interviews were undertaken. Data were analysed using the framework approach. Challenges to delirium management in the community included limited time with patients, reliance on families and access to medications. Assessment tools were not used routinely; time limited visits and inconsistent retesting were perceived barriers. Management approaches differed depending on CNSs' previous delirium education. Strategies to prevent delirium were not used. Community delirium management presents challenges; support surrounding these could be beneficial. Routine assessment tool use and delirium prevention strategies should be included in further education and research.

Drug therapy for delirium in terminally ill adults

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a syndrome characterised by an acute disturbance of attention and awareness which develops over a short time period and fluctuates in severity over the course of the day. It is commonly experienced during inpatient admission in the terminal phase of illness. It can cause symptoms such as agitation and hallucinations and is distressing for terminally ill people, their families and staff. Delirium may arise from any number of causes and treatment should aim to address these causes. When this is not possible, or treatment is unsuccessful, drug therapy to manage the symptoms may become necessary. This is the second update of the review first published in 2004.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of drug therapies to manage delirium symptoms in terminally ill adults.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and PsycINFO from inception to July 2019, reference lists of retrieved papers, and online trial registries.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials of drug therapies in any dose by any route, compared to another drug therapy, a non-pharmacological approach, placebo, standard care or wait-list control, for the management of delirium symptoms in terminally ill adults (18 years or older).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We independently screened citations, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Primary outcomes were delirium symptoms; agitation score; adverse events. Secondary outcomes were: use of rescue medication; cognitive status; survival. We applied the GRADE approach to assess the overall quality of the evidence for each outcome and we include eight 'Summary of findings' tables.

MAIN RESULTS

We included four studies (three new to this update), with 399 participants. Most participants had advanced cancer or advanced AIDS, and mild- to moderate-severity delirium. Meta-analysis was not possible because no two studies examined the same comparison. Each study was at high risk of bias for at least one criterion. Most evidence was low to very low quality, downgraded due to very serious study limitations, imprecision or because there were so few data. Most studies reported delirium symptoms; two reported agitation scores; three reported adverse events with data on extrapyramidal effects; and none reported serious adverse events. 1. Haloperidol versus placebo There may be little to no difference between placebo and haloperidol in delirium symptoms within 24 hours (mean difference (MD) 0.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.07 to 0.75; 133 participants). Haloperidol may slightly worsen delirium symptoms compared with placebo at 48 hours (MD 0.49, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.88; 123 participants with mild- to moderate-severity delirium). Haloperidol may reduce agitation slightly compared with placebo between 24 and 48 hours (MD -0.14, 95% -0.28 to -0.00; 123 participants with mild- to moderate-severity delirium). Haloperidol probably increases extrapyramidal adverse effects compared with placebo (MD 0.79, 95% CI 0.17 to 1.41; 123 participants with mild- to moderate-severity delirium). 2. Haloperidol versus risperidone There may be little to no difference in delirium symptoms with haloperidol compared with risperidone within 24 hours (MD -0.42, 95% CI -0.90 to 0.06; 126 participants) or 48 hours (MD -0.36, 95% CI -0.92 to 0.20; 106 participants with mild- to moderate-severity delirium). Agitation scores and adverse events were not reported for this comparison. 3. Haloperidol versus olanzapine We are uncertain whether haloperidol reduces delirium symptoms compared with olanzapine within 24 hours (MD 2.36, 95% CI -0.75 to 5.47; 28 participants) or 48 hours (MD 1.90, 95% CI -1.50 to 5.30, 24 participants). Agitation scores and adverse events were not reported for this comparison. 4. Risperidone versus placebo Risperidone may slightly worsen delirium symptoms compared with placebo within 24 hours (MD 0.76, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.22; 129 participants); and at 48 hours (MD 0.85, 95% CI 0.32 to 1.38; 111 participants with mild- to moderate-severity delirium). There may be little to no difference in agitation with risperidone compared with placebo between 24 and 48 hours (MD -0.05, 95% CI -0.19 to 0.09; 111 participants with mild- to moderate-severity delirium). Risperidone may increase extrapyramidal adverse effects compared with placebo (MD 0.73 95% CI 0.09 to 1.37; 111 participants with mild- to moderate-severity delirium). 5. Lorazepam plus haloperidol versus placebo plus haloperidol We are uncertain whether lorazepam plus haloperidol compared with placebo plus haloperidol improves delirium symptoms within 24 hours (MD 2.10, 95% CI -1.00 to 5.20; 50 participants with moderate to severe delirium), reduces agitation within 24 hours (MD 1.90, 95% CI 0.90 to 2.80; 52 participants), or increases adverse events (RR 0.70, 95% CI -0.19 to 2.63; 31 participants with moderate to severe delirium). 6. Haloperidol versus chlorpromazine We are uncertain whether haloperidol reduces delirium symptoms compared with chlorpromazine at 48 hours (MD 0.37, 95% CI -4.58 to 5.32; 24 participants). Agitation scores were not reported. We are uncertain whether haloperidol increases adverse events compared with chlorpromazine (MD 0.46, 95% CI -4.22 to 5.14; 24 participants). 7. Haloperidol versus lorazepam We are uncertain whether haloperidol reduces delirium symptoms compared with lorazepam at 48 hours (MD -4.88, 95% CI -9.70 to 0.06; 17 participants). Agitation scores were not reported. We are uncertain whether haloperidol increases adverse events compared with lorazepam (MD -6.66, 95% CI -14.85 to 1.53; 17 participants). 8. Lorazepam versus chlorpromazine We are uncertain whether lorazepam reduces delirium symptoms compared with chlorpromazine at 48 hours (MD 5.25, 95% CI 0.38 to 10.12; 19 participants), or increases adverse events (MD 7.12, 95% CI 1.08 to 15.32; 18 participants). Agitation scores were not reported.

SECONDARY OUTCOMES

use of rescue medication, cognitive impairment, survival There were insufficient data to draw conclusions or assess GRADE.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We found no high-quality evidence to support or refute the use of drug therapy for delirium symptoms in terminally ill adults. We found low-quality evidence that risperidone or haloperidol may slightly worsen delirium symptoms of mild to moderate severity for terminally ill people compared with placebo. We found moderate- to low-quality evidence that haloperidol and risperidone may slightly increase extrapyramidal adverse events for people with mild- to moderate-severity delirium. Given the small number of studies and participants on which current evidence is based, further research is essential.

The incidence and prevalence of delirium across palliative care settings: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a common and distressing neurocognitive condition that frequently affects patients in palliative care settings and is often underdiagnosed.

AIM

Expanding on a 2013 review, this systematic review examines the incidence and prevalence of delirium across all palliative care settings.

DESIGN

This systematic review and meta-analyses were prospectively registered with PROSPERO and included a risk of bias assessment.

DATA SOURCES

Five electronic databases were examined for primary research studies published between 1980 and 2018. Studies on adult, non-intensive care and non-postoperative populations, either receiving or eligible to receive palliative care, underwent dual reviewer screening and data extraction. Studies using standardized delirium diagnostic criteria or valid assessment tools were included.

RESULTS

Following initial screening of 2596 records, and full-text screening of 153 papers, 42 studies were included. Patient populations diagnosed with predominantly cancer (n = 34) and mixed diagnoses (n = 8) were represented. Delirium point prevalence estimates were 4%-12% in the community, 9%-57% across hospital palliative care consultative services, and 6%-74% in inpatient palliative care units. The prevalence of delirium prior to death across all palliative care settings (n = 8) was 42%-88%. Pooled point prevalence on admission to inpatient palliative care units was 35% (confidence interval = 0.29-0.40, n = 14). Only one study had an overall low risk of bias. Varying delirium screening and diagnostic practices were used.

CONCLUSION

Delirium is prevalent across all palliative care settings, with one-third of patients delirious at the time of admission to inpatient palliative care. Study heterogeneity limits meta-analyses and highlights the future need for rigorous studies.

A Scoping Review to Map Empirical Evidence Regarding Key Domains and Questions in the Clinical Pathway of Delirium in Palliative Care

CONTEXT

Based on the clinical care pathway of delirium in palliative care (PC), a published analytic framework (AF) formulated research questions in key domains and recommended a scoping review to identify evidence gaps.

OBJECTIVES

To produce a literature map for key domains of the published AF: screening, prognosis and diagnosis, management, and the health-related outcomes.

METHODS

A standard scoping review framework was used by an interdisciplinary study team of nurse- and physician-delirium researchers, an information specialist, and review methodologists to conduct the review. Knowledge user engagement provided context in refining 19 AF questions. A peer-reviewed search strategy identified citations in Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, and CINAHL databases between 1980 and 2018. Two reviewers independently screened records for inclusion using explicit study eligibility criteria for the population, design, delirium diagnosis, and investigational intent.

RESULTS

Of 104 studies reporting empirical data and meeting eligibility criteria, most were conducted in patients with cancer (73.1%) and in inpatient PC units (52%). The most frequent study design was a one or more group, nonrandomized trial or cohort (67.3%). Evidence gaps were identified: delirium risk prediction; comparative effectiveness and harms of prevention, variability in delirium management across PC settings, advanced directive and substitute decision-maker input, and transition of care location; and estimating delirium reversibility. Future rigorous primary studies are required to address these gaps and preliminary concerns regarding the quality of extant literature.

CONCLUSION

Substantial evidence gaps exist, providing opportunities for future research regarding the assessment, prognosis, and management of delirium in PC settings.

Clinical Assessment and Management of Delirium in the Palliative Care Setting

Delirium is a neurocognitive syndrome arising from acute global brain dysfunction, and is prevalent in up to 42% of patients admitted to palliative care inpatient units. The symptoms of delirium and its associated communicative impediment invariably generate high levels of patient and family distress. Furthermore, delirium is associated with significant patient morbidity and increased mortality in many patient populations, especially palliative care where refractory delirium is common in the dying phase. As the clinical diagnosis of delirium is frequently missed by the healthcare team, the case for regular screening is arguably very compelling. Depending on its precipitating factors, a delirium episode is often reversible, especially in the earlier stages of a life-threatening illness. Until recently, antipsychotics have played a pivotal role in delirium management, but this role now requires critical re-evaluation in light of recent research that failed to demonstrate their efficacy in mild- to moderate-severity delirium occurring in palliative care patients. Non-pharmacological strategies for the management of delirium play a fundamental role and should be optimized through the collective efforts of the whole interprofessional team. Refractory agitated delirium in the last days or weeks of life may require the use of pharmacological sedation to ameliorate the distress of patients, which is invariably juxtaposed with increasing distress of family members. Further evaluation of multicomponent strategies for delirium prevention and treatment in the palliative care patient population is urgently required.

Palliative care for older people: the psychiatrist's role

In this overview we discuss the palliative psychiatric care of older people towards the end of life. We briefly consider ethics, dementia care, delirium, depression, anxiety, grief and physician-assisted suicide. We also discuss hope, dignity, spirituality and existentialism. We hope that this article will encourage clinicians to reflect on the effects of terminal illnesses on the mental health of dying people and the current provision of palliative psychiatric care.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

•

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

None.

Electroencephalography and delirium in the postoperative period

Delirium commonly manifests in the postoperative period as a clinical syndrome resulting from acute brain dysfunction or encephalopathy. Delirium is characterized by acute and often fluctuating changes in attention and cognition. Emergence delirium typically presents and resolves within minutes to hours after termination of general anaesthesia. Postoperative delirium hours to days after an invasive procedure can herald poor outcomes. Easily recognized when patients are hyperactive or agitated, delirium often evades diagnosis as it most frequently presents with hypoactivity and somnolence. EEG offers objective measurements to complement clinical assessment of this complex fluctuating disorder. Although EEG features of delirium in the postoperative period remain incompletely characterized, a shift of EEG power into low frequencies is a typical finding shared among encephalopathies that manifest with delirium. In aggregate, existing data suggest that serial or continuous EEG in the postoperative period facilitates monitoring of delirium development and severity and assists in detecting epileptic aetiologies. Future studies are needed to clarify the precise EEG features that can reliably predict or diagnose delirium in the postoperative period, and to provide mechanistic insights into this pathologically diverse neurological disorder.

Relational ethics of delirium care: Findings from a hospice ethnography

Delirium, a common syndrome in terminally ill people, presents specific challenges to a good death in end-of-life care. This paper examines the relational engagement between hospice nurses and their patients in a context of end-of-life delirium. Ethnographic fieldwork spanning 15 months was conducted at a freestanding residential hospice in eastern Canada. A shared value system was apparent within the nursing community of hospice; patients' comfort and dignity were deemed most at stake and therefore commanded nurses' primary attention. This overarching commitment to comfort and dignity shaped all of nursing practice in this hospice, including practices related to end-of-life delirium. The findings of this study elaborate the ways in which hospice nurses interpreted and responded to the discomfort of their patients in delirium, as well as the efforts they made to understand their patients' subjective experiences and to connect with them in supportive ways. In addition to what is already known about clinical assessment and treatment of delirium in palliative care settings, the findings of this study offer points of reflection for nurses anywhere who are contending with the relational challenges that delirium presents in end-of-life care.

Delirium in older hospitalized patients-signs and actions: a retrospective patient record review

Background

Delirium is common in older hospitalized patients, and is associated with negative consequences for the patients, next of kin, healthcare professionals and healthcare costs. It is important to understand its clinical features, as almost 40% of all cases in hospitals may be preventable. Yet, delirium in hospitalized patients is often unrecognized and untreated. Few studies describe thoroughly how delirium manifests itself in older hospitalized patients and what actions healthcare professionals take in relation to these signs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe signs of delirium in older hospitalized patients and action taken by healthcare professionals, as reported in patient records.

Methods

Patient records from patients aged ≥65 (n = 286) were retrospectively reviewed for signs of delirium, which was found in 78 patient records (27%). Additionally, these records were reviewed for action taken by healthcare professionals in relation to the patients’ signs of delirium. The identified text was analyzed with qualitative content analysis in two steps.

Results

Healthcare professionals responded only in part to older hospitalized patients’ needs of care in relation to their signs of delirium. The patients displayed various signs of delirium that led to a reduced ability to participate in their own care and to keep themselves free from harm. Healthcare professionals met these signs with a variation of actions and the care was adapted, deficient and beyond the usual care. A systematic and holistic perspective in the care of older hospitalized patients with signs of delirium was missing.

Conclusion

Improved knowledge about delirium in hospitals is needed in order to reduce human suffering, healthcare utilization and costs. It is important to enable older hospitalized patients with signs of delirium to participate in their own care and to protect them from harm. Delirium has to be seen as a preventable adverse event in all hospitals units. To improve the prevention and management of older hospitalized patients with signs of delirium, person-centered care and patient safety may be important issues.

Palliative and end-of-life care research in Scotland 2006-2015: a systematic scoping review

BACKGROUND

The Scottish Government set out its 5-year vision to improve palliative care in its Strategic Framework for Action 2016-2021. This includes a commitment to strengthening research and evidence based knowledge exchange across Scotland. A comprehensive scoping review of Scottish palliative care research was considered an important first step. The aim of the review was to quantify and map palliative care research in Scotland over the ten-year period preceding the new strategy (2006-15).

METHODS

A systematic scoping review was undertaken. Palliative care research involving at least one co-author from a Scottish institution was eligible for inclusion. Five databases were searched with relevant MeSH terms and keywords; additional papers authored by members of the Scottish Palliative and End of Life Care Research Forum were added.

RESULTS

In total, 1919 papers were screened, 496 underwent full text review and 308 were retained in the final set. 73% were descriptive studies and 10% were interventions or feasibility studies. The top three areas of research focus were services and settings; experiences and/or needs; and physical symptoms. 58 papers were concerned with palliative care for people with conditions other than cancer - nearly one fifth of all papers published. Few studies focused on ehealth, health economics, out-of-hours and public health. Nearly half of all papers described unfunded research or did not acknowledge a funder (46%).

CONCLUSIONS

There was a steady increase in Scottish palliative care research during the decade under review. Research output was strong compared with that reported in an earlier Scottish review (1990-2005) and a similar review of Irish palliative care research (2002-2012). A large amount of descriptive evidence exists on living and dying with chronic progressive illness in Scotland; intervention studies now need to be prioritised. Areas highlighted for future research include palliative interventions for people with non-malignant illness and multi-morbidity; physical and psychological symptom assessment and management; interventions to support carers; and bereavement support. Knowledge exchange activities are required to disseminate research findings to research users and a follow-up review to examine future research progress is recommended.

Improving delirium recognition and assessment for people receiving inpatient palliative care: a mixed methods meta-synthesis

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a serious acute neurocognitive condition frequently occurring for hospitalized patients, including those receiving care in specialist palliative care units. There are many delirium evidence-practice gaps in palliative care, including that the condition is under-recognized and challenging to assess.

OBJECTIVES

To report the meta-synthesis of a research project investigating delirium epidemiology, systems and nursing practice in palliative care units.

METHODS

The Delirium in Palliative Care (DePAC) project was a two-phase sequential transformative mixed methods design with knowledge translation as the theoretical framework. The project answered five different research questions about delirium epidemiology, systems of care and nursing practice in palliative care units. Data integration and metasynthesis occurred at project conclusion.

RESULTS

There was a moderate to high rate of delirium occurrence in palliative care unit populations; and palliative care nurses had unmet delirium knowledge needs and worked within systems and team processes that were inadequate for delirium recognition and assessment. The meta-inference of the DePAC project was that a widely-held but paradoxical view that palliative care and dying patients are different from the wider hospital population has separated them from the overall generation of delirium evidence, and contributed to the extent of practice deficiencies in palliative care units.

CONCLUSION

Improving palliative care nurses' capabilities to recognize and assess delirium will require action at the patient and family, nurse, team and system levels. A broader, hospital-wide perspective would accelerate implementation of evidence-based delirium care for people receiving palliative care, both in specialist units, and the wider hospital setting.

Clinical Assessment and Management of Delirium in the Palliative Care Setting

Delirium is a neurocognitive syndrome arising from acute global brain dysfunction, and is prevalent in up to 42% of patients admitted to palliative care inpatient units. The symptoms of delirium and its associated communicative impediment invariably generate high levels of patient and family distress. Furthermore, delirium is associated with significant patient morbidity and increased mortality in many patient populations, especially palliative care where refractory delirium is common in the dying phase. As the clinical diagnosis of delirium is frequently missed by the healthcare team, the case for regular screening is arguably very compelling. Depending on its precipitating factors, a delirium episode is often reversible, especially in the earlier stages of a life-threatening illness. Until recently, antipsychotics have played a pivotal role in delirium management, but this role now requires critical re-evaluation in light of recent research that failed to demonstrate their efficacy in mild- to moderate-severity delirium occurring in palliative care patients. Non-pharmacological strategies for the management of delirium play a fundamental role and should be optimized through the collective efforts of the whole interprofessional team. Refractory agitated delirium in the last days or weeks of life may require the use of pharmacological sedation to ameliorate the distress of patients, which is invariably juxtaposed with increasing distress of family members. Further evaluation of multicomponent strategies for delirium prevention and treatment in the palliative care patient population is urgently required.

Perioperative prediction of agitated (hyperactive) delirium after cardiac surgery in adults - The development of a practical scorecard

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a temporary mental disorder that occurs frequently among hospitalized patients. In this study we sought to develop a user-friendly scorecard based on perioperative features to identify patients at risk of developing agitated delirium after cardiac surgery.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis was performed on adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery in a single center. A parsimonious predictive model was created, with subsequent internal validation. Then a simple scorecard was developed that can be used to predict the probability of agitated delirium.

RESULTS

Among the 5584 patients who met the study criteria, 614 (11.4%) developed postoperative agitated delirium. Independent predictors of postoperative agitated delirium were age, male gender, history of cerebrovascular disease, procedure other than isolated Coronary Arteries Bypass Surgery, transfusion of blood products within the first 48h, mechanical ventilation for >24h, length of stay in the Intensive Care Unit. The scorecard stratified patients into 4 categories at risk of postoperative agitated delirium ranging from <5% to >30%.

CONCLUSION

Using a large cohort of adult patient's undergoing cardiac surgery, a user-friendly scorecard was developed and validated, which will facilitate the implementation of timely interventions to mitigate adverse effects of agitated delirium in this high risk population.

Smoking Cessation and the Risk of Hyperactive Delirium in Hospitalized Patients: A Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVES

The acute cessation of smoking often induces symptoms that are similar to those associated with delirium. We aimed to evaluate effects of sudden nicotine abstinence on the development of delirium and its motoric subtypes in hospitalized patients.

METHODS

The present study included patients who were referred to psychiatrists by ward physicians due to confusion. The presence of delirium was defined using the Confusion Assessment Method and the Delirium Rating Scale Revised-98, which was also used to assess the severity of delirium. Outcome variables, including the length of hospital stay and 3-month mortality rate, were collected by a retrospective chart review.

RESULTS

Delirium was confirmed in 210 of the 293 referred patients. Of the motoric subtypes of delirium, the hyperactive subtype was more common (68.1%) and was related to higher 3-month mortality (odds ratio [OR], 2.189; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07 to 4.49; P = 0.033) compared with hypoactive delirium. Patients undergoing sudden cessation of smoking (n = 55) were more likely to exhibit hyperactive delirium than were nonsmokers (P = 0.001). A multivariate analysis revealed that smoking cessation was an independent risk factor for hyperactive delirium (OR, 10.33; 95% CI, 2.31 to 46.09; P = 0.002). In addition, the amount of smoking was positively correlated with the severity of hyperactivity (r = 0.421, P = 0.003). Smoking status did not significantly influence overall delirium incidence.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings demonstrated that nicotine withdrawal was associated with hyperactive delirium, which suggests that they share common pathophysiologies that involve the dopamine, opioid, and cholinergic systems.

Symptom Control at the End of Life

Symptom control at the end of life is an identified ongoing gap in end-of-life care. Increased demand for high-quality symptom control; limited supply of specialty trained clinicians; lack of consistent high-quality evidence-based interventions; and education deficits among clinicians, patients, and families in end-of-life processes contribute to this gap. High-value end-of-life care is centered on high-quality communication about goals of care. This article reviews primary palliative care concepts of communication and symptom control to provide a framework for primary care physicians to use in the care of patients at the end of life.

Delirium Frequency and Risk Factors Among Patients With Cancer in Palliative Care Unit

Introductıon: Delirium is a complex but common disorder in palliative care with a prevalence between 13% and 88% but a particular frequency at the end of life yet often remains insufficiently diagnosed and managed. The aim of our study is to determine the frequency of delirium and identify factors associated with delirium at palliative care unit.

METHODS

Two hundred thirteen consecutive inpatients from October 1, 2012, to March 31, 2013, were studied prospectively. Age, gender, Palliative Performance Scale (PPS), Palliative Prognostic Index (PPI), length of stay in hospital, and delirium etiology and subtype were recorded. Delirium was diagnosed with using Delirium Rating Scale (DRS) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition Text Revision ( DSM-IV TR) criteria.

RESULTS

The incidence of delirium among the patients with cancer was 49.8%. Mean age was 60.3 ± 14.8 (female 41%, male 59%, PPS 39.8%, PPI 5.9 ± 3.0, length of stay in hospital 8.6 ± 6.9 days). Univariate logistic regression analysis indicated that use of opioids, anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, steroids, polypharmacy, infection, malnutrition, immobilization, sleep disturbance, constipation, hyperbilirubinemia, liver/renal failure, pulmonary failure/hypoxia, electrolyte imbalance, brain cancer/metastases, decreased PPS, and increased PPI were risk factors. Subtypes of delirium included hypoactive 49%, mixed 41%, and hyperactive 10%.

CONCLUSION

The communicative impediments associated with delirium generate distress for the patient, their family, and health care practitioners who might have to contend with agitation and difficulty in assessing pain and other symptoms. To manage delirium in patients with cancer, clinicians must be able to diagnose it accurately and undertake appropriate assessment of underlying causes.

Pain Management in Elderly Patients

In elderly patients, persistent pain negatively impacts quality of life. An interdisciplinary approach to pain management and emphasis on quality improvement will help to achieve better therapeutic outcomes. Managing pain in the geriatric population is challenging because of age-related changes in pain perception, cognition, pharmacokinetics, and drug effects. Improvement and maintenance of physical and emotional function is the goal. Pharmacotherapy should be initiated conservatively and titrated to effective doses with minimal adverse effects. Milder pain should be treated with non-opioid analgesics with a progression toward opioids and/or adjuvant medications as the pain intensifies. Acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, and adjuvant medications represent most of the analgesic agents used in pain management. Knowing the underlying mechanism of pain will help guide pharmacologic therapy. The patient should be monitored initially, with every dose change, and periodically to assess efficacy and severity of adverse effects.

Predictors of Mortality for Delirium in Palliative Care

INTRODUCTION

Delirium has a high mortality rate. Understanding predictors of prognosis in patients with delirium will aid treatment decisions and communication. This study aimed to explore variables associated with death during an established episode of delirium in palliative care when haloperidol treatment had been commenced.

METHODS

A consecutive cohort of palliative care patients, from 14 centers across four countries, is reported. The outcome of interest was death within 14 days from commencement of haloperidol treatment for delirium. Clinicodemographic variables explored were delirium severity, age, gender, primary life limiting illness, body mass index (BMI), total daily haloperidol dose at baseline (mg), functional status, and comorbidities.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixteen palliative care patients where vital status was known were included in the analysis; 45% (n = 52) died within 10 days, and 56% (n = 65) died within 14 days. In multivariate analyses no clinical or demographic variables predicted death, apart from lower BMI in noncancer patients.

CONCLUSION

This study has shown a very high mortality rate within two weeks of commencing haloperidol for delirium in palliative care, with no clear clinical predictors for those with a higher chance of dying. Having a higher BMI offered some benefit in survival, but only in noncancer patients. When delirium occurs in advanced illness, discussion should be initiated about the gravity of the clinical situation.

Depressive Symptoms Before, During, and After Delirium: A Literature Review

BACKGROUND

Delirium and depression are often thought of as mutually exclusive conditions. However, several studies cite depression as a risk factor for delirium whereas others note that patients with delirium often manifest depressive symptoms. Whether these depressive symptoms persist after delirium resolves remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

This article reviews published studies that have investigated the relationship between depression and delirium.

METHODS

Literature searches on PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and PsycInfo were conducted using search criteria "delirium" AND "depress⁎" as keywords or MeSH terms.

RESULTS

Of 722 search results, 10 prospective cohort studies were identified for inclusion. These studies were categorized regarding the time of assessment for depressive symptoms. Included studies varied greatly (regarding their index population, their methods of assessment, and their timing of assessments). Of the studies, 3 involved patients undergoing hip fracture repair. They demonstrated more severe depressive symptoms both during delirium and after delirium ended. Conversely, the other studies did not find any statistically significant correlations between the 2 conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

The literature suggests a correlation between depression and delirium in patients with hip fracture. Whether other specific populations have higher comorbidity is unclear. Unfortunately, studies varied widely in their methods, precluding a meta-analysis. Nonetheless, our review provides a foundation for future research.

Delirium: a diagnostic dilemma. Part 1

Effective symptom management for a patient with a palliative diagnosis can be challenging. There are some symptoms that may be more difficult to control and understand than others. Delirium, as a symptom, may well prove to be a significant challenge for all involved, leaving family and health professionals perplexed and exhausted. Understanding the predisposing factors and the manifestations may aid the health professional in the assessment and identification of this distressing symptom, facilitating more effective management and care of those who are approaching the end of life. This article attempts to address some of the challenges and offer a number of suggestions that may aid in identifying delirium in patients at the end of life, but also examines some of the dilemmas when attempting to treat delirium.

Recent Insights on Prevalence and Corelations of Hypoactive Delirium

Delirium is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome which is common in all medical settings. It often goes unrecognized due to difficulties in the detection of its hypoactive variant. This review aims to provide an up-to-date account on recent research on hypoactive delirium (HD). Thirty-eight studies, which were conducted in various clinical settings, including the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), were included in this review. Those studies involved recent research that has been published during the last 6 years. Prevalence of HD was found to vary considerably among different settings. HD seems to be more common in critically ill patients and less common in patients examined by consultation-liaison psychiatric services and in mixed patient populations. The presence of HD in ICU patients was associated with higher short- and long-term mortality and other adverse outcomes, but no such association was reported in other settings. Research on other possible associations of HD with clinical variables and on symptom presentation yielded inconclusive results, although there is some evidence for a possible association of HD with benzodiazepine use. There are several methodological issues that need to be addressed by future research. Future studies should examine HD in the primary care setting; treatment interventions should also be the objective of future research.

Chronic pain and analgesic use in CKD: implications for patient safety

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Chronic pain in predialysis CKD is not fully understood. This study examined chronic pain in CKD and its relationship with analgesic usage.

DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS

Data include baseline visits from 308 patients with CKD enrolled between 2011 and 2013 in the Safe Kidney Care cohort study in Baltimore, Maryland. The Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale measured chronic pain severity. Analgesic prescriptions and over-the-counter purchases were recorded up to 30 days before visits, and were classified as a drug-related problem (DRP) based on an analgesic's nephrotoxicity and dose appropriateness at participants' eGFR. Participants were sorted by pain frequency and severity and categorized into ordinal groups. Analgesic use and the rate of analgesics with a DRP were reported across pain groups. Multivariate regression determined the factors associated with chronic pain and assessed the relationship between chronic pain and analgesic usage.

RESULTS

There were 187 (60.7%) participants who reported chronic pain. Factors associated with pain severity included arthritis, taking ≥12 medications, and lower physical function. Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was reported by seven participants (5.8%) with no chronic pain. Mild and severe chronic pain were associated with analgesics with a DRP, with odds ratios of 3.04 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.12 to 8.29) and 5.46 (95% CI, 1.85 to 16.10), respectively. The adjusted rate of analgesics with a DRP per participant increased from the group with none to severe chronic pain, with rates of 0.07 (95% CI, 0.04 to 0.13), 0.12 (95% CI, 0.07 to 0.20) and 0.16 (95% CI, 0.09 to 0.27), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic pain is common in CKD with a significant relationship between the severity of pain and both proper and improper analgesic usage. Screening for chronic pain may help in understanding the role of DRPs in the delivery of safe CKD care.

Diagnostic and treatment practices of delirium in a general hospital

BACKGROUND

Despite the increase in research on delirium, it remains underdiagnosed and difficult to manage, and the outcome is poor especially in older people.

AIMS

To identify the clinically diagnosed rates of delirium, the possible aetiologies, to describe treatment, number and type of psychotropic medication used and to investigate the reasons for referral to a liaison psychiatric team.

METHODS

Retrospective study of medical records of inpatients admitted to Sligo Regional Hospital during an 18-month period.

RESULTS

One hundred and fifty-six files had a documentation of delirium (time prevalence 2%). Mean age of the sample was 82 years (SD = 7.2), 66 (42%) were male. Sixty-nine (44.2%) of the total sample had a previous history of dementia, and 57 (36.5%) had a previous history of delirium. In 67 (43.2%) samples, the cause was infection, while in 4, no specific cause was identified. Ninety (58%) were referred to the liaison service, but only in 26 (28.9 %), the reason for referral was "acute confusion" or "delirium". In a majority of referrals, the reason was an affective disorder more often depression. There were no significant differences between delirium subtypes and referrals (χ(2) = 3.868, df 3, p = 0.28). Examination of the amount of antipsychotics prescribed before, during and after delirium shows that there was a significant increase in use during the delirium (χ(2) = 17.512, df 8, p = 0.025) and decrease in z-hypnotics medication (zopiclone/zolpidem), (χ(2) = 20.114, df 4, p < 0.001), while benzodiazepines and antidepressants remained the same.

CONCLUSIONS

Delirium is often misdiagnosed and unrecognized in hospital settings; however, when identified the pharmacological management is appropriate.

Identifying the barriers and enablers to palliative care nurses' recognition and assessment of delirium symptoms: a qualitative study

CONTEXT

Delirium is underrecognized by nurses, including those working in palliative care settings where the syndrome occurs frequently. Identifying contextual factors that support and/or hinder palliative care nurses' delirium recognition and assessment capabilities is crucial, to inform development of clinical practice and systems aimed at improving patients' delirium outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the study was to identify nurses' perceptions of the barriers and enablers to recognizing and assessing delirium symptoms in palliative care inpatient settings.

METHODS

A series of semistructured interviews, guided by critical incident technique, were conducted with nurses working in Australian palliative care inpatient settings. A hypoactive delirium vignette prompted participants' recall of delirium and identification of the perceived factors (barriers and enablers) that impacted on their delirium recognition and assessment capabilities. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data.

RESULTS

Thirty participants from nine palliative care services provided insights into the barriers and enablers of delirium recognition and assessment in the inpatient setting that were categorized as patient and family, health professional, and system level factors. Analysis revealed five themes, each reflecting both identified barriers and current and/or potential enablers: 1) value in listening to patients and engaging families, 2) assessment is integrated with care delivery, 3) respecting and integrating nurses' observations, 4) addressing nurses' delirium knowledge needs, and 5) integrating delirium recognition and assessment processes.

CONCLUSION

Supporting the development of palliative care nursing delirium recognition and assessment practice requires attending to a range of barriers and enablers at the patient and family, health professional, and system levels.

Delirium and depression: inter-relationship and clinical overlap in elderly people

Delirium and depression are complex neuropsychiatric syndromes common in the elderly and are associated with poor health-care outcomes. Accurate diagnosis is essential to the provision of optimum health care for individuals with these conditions but is complicated by substantial clinical overlap in symptoms and comorbidities. A careful assessment of the patient's symptoms, including their context and time course, is needed for accurate diagnosis. Previous depression is common in patients with delirium and depressive illness is a recognised sequelae of delirium. The two syndromes seem to be caused by similar pathophysiological mechanisms, involving disturbances in stress and inflammatory responses, monoaminergic and melatonergic signalling, which point to new avenues for therapeutic intervention. Improved methods to assess delirium and depression in populations at high risk by virtue of their age, diminished cognitive reserve and physical frailty is a key target to achieve improved health-care outcomes in elderly individuals.

Treating an established episode of delirium in palliative care: expert opinion and review of the current evidence base with recommendations for future development

CONTEXT

Delirium is a highly prevalent complication in patients in palliative care settings, especially in the end-of-life context.

OBJECTIVES

To review the current evidence base for treating episodes of delirium in palliative care settings and propose a framework for future development.

METHODS

We combined multidisciplinary input from delirium researchers and other purposely selected stakeholders at an international delirium study planning meeting. This was supplemented by a literature search of multiple databases and relevant reference lists to identify studies regarding therapeutic interventions for delirium.

RESULTS

The context of delirium management in palliative care is highly variable. The standard management of a delirium episode includes the investigation of precipitating and aggravating factors followed by symptomatic treatment with drug therapy. However, the intensity of this management depends on illness trajectory and goals of care in addition to the local availability of both investigative modalities and therapeutic interventions. Pharmacologically, haloperidol remains the practice standard by consensus for symptomatic control. Dosing schedules are derived from expert opinion and various clinical practice guidelines as evidence-based data from palliative care settings are limited. The commonly used pharmacologic interventions for delirium in this population warrant evaluation in clinical trials to examine dosing and titration regimens, different routes of administration, and safety and efficacy compared with placebo.

CONCLUSION

Delirium treatment is multidimensional and includes the identification of precipitating and aggravating factors. For symptomatic management, haloperidol remains the practice standard. Further high-quality collaborative research investigating the appropriate treatment of this complex syndrome is needed.

An analytical framework for delirium research in palliative care settings: integrated epidemiologic, clinician-researcher, and knowledge user perspectives

CONTEXT

Delirium often presents difficult management challenges in the context of goals of care in palliative care settings.

OBJECTIVES

The aim was to formulate an analytical framework for further research on delirium in palliative care settings, prioritize the associated research questions, discuss the inherent methodological challenges associated with relevant studies, and outline the next steps in a program of delirium research.

METHODS

We combined multidisciplinary input from delirium researchers and knowledge users at an international delirium study planning meeting, relevant literature searches, focused input of epidemiologic expertise, and a meeting participant and coauthor survey to formulate a conceptual research framework and prioritize research questions.

RESULTS

Our proposed framework incorporates three main groups of research questions: the first was predominantly epidemiologic, such as delirium occurrence rates, risk factor evaluation, screening, and diagnosis; the second covers pragmatic management questions; and the third relates to the development of predictive models for delirium outcomes. Based on aggregated survey responses to each research question or domain, the combined modal ratings of "very" or "extremely" important confirmed their priority.

CONCLUSION

Using an analytical framework to represent the full clinical care pathway of delirium in palliative care settings, we identified multiple knowledge gaps in relation to the occurrence rates, assessment, management, and outcome prediction of delirium in this population. The knowledge synthesis generated from adequately powered, multicenter studies to answer the framework's research questions will inform decision making and policy development regarding delirium detection and management and thus help to achieve better outcomes for patients in palliative care settings.

Practical assessment of delirium in palliative care

CONTEXT

Delirium is a common, distressing neuropsychiatric complication for patients in palliative care settings, where the need to minimize burden yet accurately assess delirium is hugely challenging.

OBJECTIVES

This review focused on the optimal clinical and research application of delirium assessment tools and methods in palliative care settings.

METHODS

In addition to multidisciplinary input from delirium researchers and other relevant stakeholders at an international meeting, we searched PubMed (1990-2012) and relevant reference lists to identify delirium assessment tools used either exclusively or partly in the context of palliative care.

RESULTS

Of the 26 delirium scales identified, we selected six for in-depth review: three screening tools, two severity measures, and one research tool for neuropsychological assessment of delirium. These tools differed regarding intended use, ease of use, training requirements, psychometric properties, and validation in or suitability for palliative care populations. The Nursing Delirium Screening Scale, Single Question in Delirium, or Confusion Assessment Method, ideally with a brief attention test, can effectively screen for delirium. Favoring inclusivity, use of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria gives the best results for delirium diagnosis. The Revised Delirium Rating Scale and the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale are the best available options for monitoring severity, and the Cognitive Test for Delirium provides detailed neuropsychological assessment for research purposes.

CONCLUSION

Given the unique characteristics of patients in palliative care settings, further contextually sensitive studies of delirium assessment are required in this population.

Delirium diagnostic and classification challenges in palliative care: subsyndromal delirium, comorbid delirium-dementia, and psychomotor subtypes

CONTEXT

Delirium often presents difficult diagnostic and classification challenges in palliative care settings.

OBJECTIVES

To review three major areas that create diagnostic and classification challenges in relation to delirium in palliative care: subsyndromal delirium (SSD), delirium in the context of comorbid dementia, and classification of psychomotor subtypes, and to identify knowledge gaps and research priorities in relation to these three areas of focus.

METHODS

We combined multidisciplinary input from delirium researchers and knowledge users at an international delirium study planning meeting and relevant PubMed literature searches as the knowledge synthesis strategy in this review.

RESULTS

We identified six (SSD), 33 (dementia), and 44 (psychomotor subtypes) articles of relevance in relation to the focus of our review. Recent literature data highlight the frequency and impact of SSD, the relevance of comorbid dementia, and the propensity for a hypoactive presentation of delirium in the palliative population. The differential diagnoses to consider are wide and include pain, fatigue, mood disturbance, psychoactive medication effects, and other causes for altered consciousness.

CONCLUSION

Challenges in the diagnosis and classification of delirium in people with advanced disease are compounded by the generalized disturbance of central nervous system function that occurs in the seriously ill, often with comorbid illness, including dementia. Further research is needed to delineate the pathophysiological and clinical associations of these presentations and thus inform therapeutic strategies. The expanding aged population and growing focus on dementia care in palliative care highlight the need to conduct this research.