The measurement of delirium: review of scales

Oral Microbiome Changes During Hospitalization in Older Adults Not Receiving Mechanical Ventilation

BACKGROUND

Oral bacteria can be pathogenic and may change during hospitalization, potentially increasing risk for complications for older adults, including residents of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs).

OBJECTIVES

To compare the oral microbiome at hospital admission by prehospital residence (SNF vs home) in older adults not receiving mechanical ventilation and to assess changes in their oral microbiome during hospitalization.

METHODS

This prospective, observational study included 46 hospitalized adults (≥65 years old) not receiving mechanical ventilation, enrolled within 72 hours of hospitalization (15 admitted from SNF, 31 from home). Oral health was assessed with the Oral Health Assessment Tool at baseline and days 3, 5, and 7. Genomic DNA was extracted from unstimulated oral saliva specimens for microbiome profiling using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. Taxonomic composition, relative abundance, α-diversity (Shannon Index), and β-diversity (Bray-Curtis dissimilarity) of bacterial communities were determined.

RESULTS

Most patients were female (70%) and White (74%) or Hispanic (11%). Mean age was 78.7 years. More patients admitted from SNFs than from home had cognitive impairment (P < .001), delirium (P = .01), frailty (P < .001), and comorbidities (P = .04). Patients from SNFs had more oral bacteria associated with oral disease, lower α-diversity (P < .001), and higher β-diversity (P = .01). In the 28 study completers, α-diversity altered over time (P < .001). A significant interaction was found between groups after adjusting for covariates (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalized older adults admitted from SNFs experience oral microbial and oral health disparities.

Preventative interventions for postoperative delirium after intraabdominal surgery - A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a significant complication associated with extended hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and heightened morbidity and mortality. With an aging population, the incidence of POD is expected to rise, making the development of effective prevention strategies critical. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive interventions in reducing POD after intraabdominal surgery.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Databases including MEDLINE, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined preventive strategies for POD in adult patients undergoing intraabdominal surgery. The primary outcome was the incidence of POD, analyzed using a random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Sixteen RCTs involving 4060 participants were included. Preventive interventions reduced the risk of POD by 49 ​% (RR: 0.51; 95 ​% CI: 0.36 to 0.73; I2 ​= ​61.2 ​%). No significant effects were observed on secondary outcomes such as 30-day and 180-day mortality or length of hospital stay. Subgroup analyses showed a more pronounced effect in laparoscopic surgeries and smaller trials with higher risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Preventive interventions are effective in reducing the incidence of POD after intraabdominal surgery. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating standardized screening and intervention protocols to improve surgical outcomes, especially in high-risk populations. Further research should focus on refining prevention strategies and exploring the underlying mechanisms of POD.

Physical activity may a probably protective factor for postoperative delirium: the PNDABLE study

Objective

This study aims to explore the relationship between physical activity (PA) and postoperative delirium (POD).

Methods

We selected 400 patients from the Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder and Biomarkers Lifestyle (PNDABLE) database, and the patients in the PNDABLE database were sampled and tested Alzheimer's biomarkers. The diagnosis of POD was made using the Confusion Assessment Scale (CAM) and the severity was assessed using Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale was used to detect the mental state of the patients. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the level of preoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, such as amyloid β plaque 42 (Aβ42), total tau protein (T-tau), and phosphorylated tau protein (P-tau). Logistic regression, sensitivity analysis, and post hoc analysis were used to explore the relationship between risk and protective factors on POD. We used the mediating effect to explore whether PA mediates the occurrence of POD through CSF biomarkers.

Results

The incidence of POD was 17.5%. According to our research, the consequence prompted that PA might be the protective factor for POD [odds ratio (OR): 0.336, 95% confidence interval (95 CI) 0.206-0.548, P < 0.001]. The result of logistic regression revealed that CSF biomarker Aβ42 (OR: 0.997, 95 CI 0.996-0.999, P < 0.001) might be a protective factor against POD, and the T-tau (OR: 1.006, 95 CI 1.003-1.009, P = 0.001) and P-tau (OR: 1.039, 95 CI 1.018-1.059, P < 0.001) might risk factors for POD. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the correlation between PA and CSF biomarkers in the patients with POD. Mediation effect analysis showed that PA may reduce the occurrence of POD partly through CSF biomarkers, such as Aβ42 (proportion: 11%, P < 0.05), T-tau (proportion: 13%, P < 0.05), and P-tau (proportion: 12%, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Physical activity is probably a protective factor for POD and may exert a mediating effect through CSF biomarkers.

Relationship between preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and postoperative delirium: The PNDABLE and the PNDRFAP cohort studies

OBJECTIVES

In this study, the relationship between preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and Alzheimer-related biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was investigated to determine whether high NLR is a potential risk factor for postoperative delirium (POD) and to evaluate its predictive efficacy.

METHODS

We selected 1000 patients from the perioperative neurocognitive disorder risk factor and prognosis (PNDRFAP) database and 999 patients from the perioperative neurocognitive disorder and biomarker lifestyle (PNDABLE) database. Patients in the PNDABLE database have been measured for Alzheimer-related biomarkers in CSF (Aβ40 , Aβ42 , P-tau, and tau protein). Mini-mental state examination was used to assess the preoperative mental status of patients. POD was diagnosed using the confusion assessment method and assessed for severity using the memorial delirium assessment scale. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to explore the association of preoperative NLR with POD. What's more, we also performed sensitivity analysis by adding corrected confounders, and the results were almost unchanged. Spearman's rank correlation was used to determine the associations between NLR and Alzheimer-related biomarkers. Mediation analyses with 10,000 bootstrapped iterations were used to explore the mediation effects. Finally, we use decision curves and the nomogram model to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative NLR in predicting POD; we also performed external validation using data from Qilu Hospital.

RESULT

Logistic regression results showed that an elevated preoperative NLR was a risk factor for the development of POD in patients (PNDRFAP: OR = 1.067, 95% CI 1.020-1.116; PNDABLE: OR = 1.182, 95% CI 1.048-1.335, p < .05). Spearman's rank correlation analysis showed a positive but weak correlation between NLR and P-tau/T-tau (R = .065). The mediating effect results indicate that NLR likely mediates the occurrence of POD through elevated tau protein levels (proportion: 47.47%). The results of the box plots showed statistically significant NLR and CSF biomarkers between the POD and non-POD (NPOD) groups (p < .05), with higher NLR, P-tau, and T-tau in the POD group than in the NPOD group. In contrast, the NPOD group had higher Aβ42 levels compared to the POD group. In addition, we used R package to plot the decision curve and nomogram both suggesting a good predictive effect of preoperative NLR on the occurrence of POD.

CONCLUSION

Elevated preoperative NLR levels may be a risk factor for POD and likely mediate the development of POD through elevated P-tau/T-tau levels.

Daytime dysfunction may be associated with postoperative delirium in patients undergoing total hip/knee replacement: The PNDABLE study

PURPOSE

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a usual complication after total hip/knee replacement, which may be affected by sleep characteristics. However, up to now, preoperative sleep characteristics have not been evaluated as risk factors of POD. The relationship between self-reported sleep characteristics and POD in patients has been investigated in this study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We recruited 495 cognitively intact individuals in the final analysis from the Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder and Biomarker Lifestyle study. Sleep characteristics were tested by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Mini-mental state examination was applied to assess preoperative mental status of patients. Postoperatively, we used confusion assessment method and memorial delirium assessment scale to evaluate the incidence of POD and POD severity, respectively. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of T-tau, P-tau, Aβ40, and Aβ42 were detected by enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay before the operation. Logistic regression, multiple linear regression, and mediation effects were performed to analyze the relationship between self-reported sleep characteristics and POD.

RESULTS

POD was detected in 11.31% (56/495) of the patients, with logistic regression analysis showing that daytime dysfunction, P-tau, and T-tau were risk factors of POD, and Aβ42 was a protective factor of POD. Multiple linear regression analysis confirmed that daytime dysfunction was positively correlated with P-tau in patients with POD. Meanwhile, compared to the patients with no postoperative delirium, the CSF levels of P- and T-tau were higher in patients with POD. Furthermore, mediation analysis showed that it was probable that daytime dysfunction mediated POD through P-tau (proportion: 12.90%) partially.

CONCLUSION

Daytime dysfunction is a risk factor of POD preoperatively. To sum up, CSF P-tau protein might partially mediate the influence of daytime dysfunction on POD.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000033439).

Alcohol consumption may be associated with postoperative delirium in the elderly: the PNDABLE study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to reveal the relationship between alcohol consumption and Postoperative delirium (POD) in the elderly.

METHODS

We selected 252 patients from the Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder And Biomarker Lifestyle (PNDABLE ) study. Patients in the PNDABLE database have been measured for Alzheimer-related biomarkers in CSF (Aβ40, Aβ42, P-tau, and tau protein). Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to assess the preoperative mental status of patients. POD was diagnosed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and assessed for severity using the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). Logistic regression analysis was utilized to explore the association of alcohol consumption with POD. Linear regression analysis was used to study the relationship between alcohol consumption and CSF biomarkers. Mediation analyses with 10,000 bootstrapped iterations were used to explore the mediation effects. Finally, we constructed the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the nomogram model to evaluate the efficacy of alcohol consumption and CSF biomarkers in predicting POD.  RESULT: The incidence of POD was 17.5%. Logistic regression showed that alcohol consumption (OR = 1.016, 95%CI 1.009-1.024, P < 0.001) is a risk factor for POD. What's more, Aβ42 is a protective factor for POD (OR = 0.993, 95%CI 0.989-0.997, P < 0.05), and P-Tau was a risk factor for POD (OR = 1.093, 95%CI 1.022-1.168, P < 0.05). Linear regression analysis revealed that alcohol consumption was negatively associated with CSF Aβ42 (β = -0.638, P < 0.001) in POD patients. Mediation analyses showed that alcohol consumption is likely to partially mediate POD through Aβ42 (proportion:14.21%). ROC curve showed that alcohol consumption (AUC = 0.904; P < 0.001) exhibited a relatively better discriminatory ability in POD prediction compared to Aβ42 (AUC = 0.798; P < 0.001). The calibration curve indicated a good nomogram prediction (P = 0.797).

CONCLUSION

Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for POD (particularly for those with > 24 g a day on average) in the elderly, and contributes to POD through the mediation of Aβ42.

Implementation of a novel nursing assessment tool in geriatric trauma patients with proximal femur fractures

BACKGROUND

Geriatric trauma patients represent a special challenge in postoperative care and are prone to specific complications. The goal of this study was to analyse the predictive potential of a novel nursing assessment tool, the outcome-oriented nursing assessment for acute care (ePA-AC), in geriatric trauma patients with proximal femur fractures (PFF).

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of geriatric trauma patients aged ≥ 70 years with PFF was conducted at a level 1 trauma centre. The ePA-AC is a routinely used tool that evaluates pneumonia; confusion, delirium and dementia (CDD); decubitus (Braden Score); the risk of falls; the Fried Frailty index (FFI); and nutrition. Assessment of the novel tool included analysis of its ability to predict complications including delirium, pneumonia and decubitus.

RESULTS

The novel ePA-AC tool was investigated in 71 geriatric trauma patients. In total, 49 patients (67.7%) developed at least one complication. The most common complication was delirium (n = 22, 44.9%). The group with complications (Group C) had a significantly higher FFI compared with the group without complications (Group NC) (1.7 ± 0.5 vs 1.2 ± 0.4, p = 0.002). Group C had a significantly higher risk score for malnutrition compared with Group NC (6.3 ± 3.4 vs 3.9 ± 2.8, p = 0.004). A higher FFI score increased the risk of developing complications (odds ratio [OR] 9.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.0 to 47.7, p = 0.005). A higher CDD score increased the risk of developing delirium (OR 9.3, 95% CI 2.9 to 29.4, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The FFI, CDD, and nutritional assessment tools are associated with the development of complications in geriatric trauma patients with PFF. These tools can support the identification of geriatric patients at risk and might guide individualised treatment strategies and preventive measures.

Preoperative cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers may be associated with postoperative delirium in patients undergoing knee/hip arthroplasty: the PNDABLE study

BACKGROUND

In the global aging population, the incidence of postoperative delirium (POD) is increasing. Therefore, finding its effective predictive tools becomes crucial. We aimed to identify potential Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)biomarkers for POD.

METHODS

A total of 825 patients undergoing knee/hip arthroplasty under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia were selected. The patients were aged 40 to 90 years with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I~II. The Mini-Mental State Examination was completed 1 day before the operation. CSF was extracted after successful spinal-epidural combined puncture, and α-synuclein (α-syn), amyloid beta₄₀ (Aβ₄₀), amyloid beta₄₂ (Aβ₄₂), t-Tau, phosphorylated Tau (p-Tau), progranulin (PGRN) and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2) in the CSF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The patient's operation time, anesthesia time, intraoperative blood loss and fluid input were also recorded. After the operation, the occurrence rate and severity of POD were determined by the Confusion Assessment Method and the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS), respectively. Patients were categorized into POD group and non-POD group. Logistic regression analysis was performed on the indicators with statistically significant differences, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to estimate the predictive accuracy of the biomarkers for POD.

RESULTS

A total of 92 patients developed POD and the incidence of POD was 11.15%. The results of the multivariable logistic regression showed that CSF t-Tau (P = 0.004, OR = 1.006, 95%CI 1.002~1.009) and α-syn (P = 0.004, OR = 1.001, 95%CI 1.000~1.001) were positively associated with the occurrence rate of POD, while Aβ₄₂ (P < 0.001, OR = 0.989, 95%CI 0.986~0.993), CSF PGRN (P = 0.002, OR = 0.999, 95%CI 0.999~1.000), Aβ₄₂/ t-Tau (P < 0.001, OR = 0.181, 95%CI 0.102~0.319) and Aβ₄₂/p-Tau (P < 0.001, OR = 0.617, 95%CI 0.526~0.725) were inversely proportional to the occurrence of POD. ROC curve analysis indicated that Aβ₄₂/t-Tau (AUC = 0.823), CSF Aβ₄₂ (AUC = 0.813), Aβ₄₂/p-Tau (AUC = 0.810), α-syn (AUC = 0.644) and PGRN (AUC = 0.638) could predict the occurrence rate of POD. The combination of all these biomarkers showed a greater AUC(0.896) than using any of them alone.

CONCLUSIONS

CSF Aβ₄₂, PGRN, α-syn, Aβ₄₂/t-Tau and Aβ₄₂/p-Tau might be associated with the occurrence rate of POD in patients undergoing knee/hip arthroplasty.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Registration No. ChiCTR2000033439.

Subjective cognitive decline may mediate the occurrence of postoperative delirium by P-tau undergoing total hip replacement: The PNDABLE study

OBJECTIVE

We again investigated the relationship between subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and postoperative delirium (POD) with a larger sample queue. We also determined whether SCD could cause the occurrence of POD through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers.

METHODS

A prospective, observational cohort study was implemented in the Qingdao Municipal Hospital Affiliated with Qingdao University. This study recruited 1,471 qualified patients affiliated with the Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder And Biomarker Lifestyle (PNDABLE) study scheduled for total hip replacement under combined spinal and epidural anesthesia from June 2020 to May 2022. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were used to assess the cognitive level of the patients the day before surgery. Pittsburgh sleeps quality index (PSQI) scale was used to assess sleep status. Patients were divided into the SCD group and the non-SCD (NSCD) group based on the Subjective Cognitive Decline Scale (SCDS). CSF was collected after a successful spinal-epidural combined puncture, and amyloid-β40 (Aβ40), amyloid-β42 (Aβ42), total tau (T-tau), and phosphorylated tau (P-Tau) in CSF were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. After the surgery, the incidence of POD was determined by the Confusion Assessment Scale (CAM), and Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS) score was used to determine the severity of POD. Logistic regression and sensitivity analyses were performed to determine the relationship between CSF biomarkers, SCD, and POD. The mediating effect was used to analyze the function of specific CSF biomarkers in the relationship between SCD and POD. The risk factors of SCD were also separately verified by logistic regression and sensitivity analysis models.

RESULTS

The total incidence rate of POD was 19.60% (n = 225/1148), which was 29.3% (n = 120/409) in the SCD group and 14.2% (n = 105/739) in the NSCD group. We comprehensively considered the effect of covariates such as age, hypertension, and diabetes. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SCD (OR = 1.467, 95%CI: 1.015-2.120, p = 0.042) and P-tau (OR = 1.046, 95%CI: 1.028-1.063, p < 0.001) were risk factors for POD. The sensitivity analysis results were consistent with the above results. Mediation analysis showed that the relationship between SCD and POD was partially mediated by P-tau, which accounted for 31.25% (P-tau, IE = 4.279 × 10-2, p < 0.001). For SCD, the results of logistic regression analysis models showed that age (OR = 1.035, 95% CI: 1.020-1.049, p < 0.001), higher preoperative PSQI score (OR = 1.047, 95%CI: 1.014-1.080, p = 0.005), and P-tau (OR = 1.015, 95%CI: 1.002-1.028, p = 0.021) were risk factors for SCD, and subsequent sensitivity analysis confirmed this result after adjustment for ASA grade, height, and weight.

CONCLUSION

Patients with SCD are more likely to develop POD undergoing total hip replacement, and SCD can mediate the occurrence of POD via P-tau.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered at China Clinical Trial Registry (Chictr2000033439).

The effect of neostigmine on postoperative delirium after colon carcinoma surgery: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial

Background

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a critical complication in patients accepting colon carcinoma surgery. Neostigmine, as a cholinesterase inhibitor, can enhance the transmission of cholinergic transmitters in synaptic space, and play an important role in maintaining the normal level of cognition, attention and consciousness. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of neostigmine on POD and clinical prognosis.

Methods

A randomized, double-blind controlled trial was implemented in Qingdao Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University. A total of 454 patients aged 40 to 90 years old accepted colon carcinoma surgery were enrolled between June 7, 2020, and June 7, 2021, with final follow-up on December 8, 2021. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: the neostigmine group (group N) and the placebo group (group P), the patients in group N were injected with 0.04 mg/kg neostigmine and 0.02 mg/kg atropine intravenously. The primary endpoint was the incidence of POD, researchers evaluated the occurrence of POD by the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) twice daily (at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.) during the first 7 postoperative days, POD severity was assessed by the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). The secondary endpoints were the extubating time, postanesthesia care unit (PACU) time, the incidence of various postoperative complications, length of hospital stays, and 6 months postoperative mortality.

Results

The incidence of POD was 20.20% (81/401), including 19.39% (38/196) in group N and 20.98% (43/205) in group P. There was no significant statistical significance in the incidence of POD between group N and group P (P > 0.05); Compared to group P, the extubating time and PACU time in group N were significantly reduced (P < 0.001), the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications (POPCs) decreased significantly in group N (P < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed in postoperative hospital stay and mortality in 6 months between the two groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

For patients accepted colon carcinoma surgery, neostigmine did not significantly reduce the incidence of POD, postoperative mortality and postoperative hospital stay, while it indeed reduced the extubating time, PACU time and the incidence of POPCs.

Trial registration

The randomized, double-blind, controlled trial was registered retrospectively at www.chictr.org.cn on 07/06/2020 (ChiCTR2000033639).

Harmonization of Four Delirium Instruments: Creating Crosswalks and the Delirium Item-Bank (DEL-IB)

OBJECTIVES

Over 30 instruments are in current, active use for delirium identification. In a recent systematic review, we recommended 4 commonly used and well-validated instruments for clinical and research use. The goal of this study is to harmonize the four instruments on the same metric using modern methods in psychometrics.

DESIGN

Secondary data analysis from 3 studies, and a simulation study based on the observed data.

SETTING

Hospitalized (non-ICU) adults over 65 years old in the United States, Ireland, and Belgium.

PARTICIPANTS

The total sample comprised 600 participants, contributing 1,623 assessments.

MEASUREMENTS

Confusion Assessment Method (long-form and short-form), Delirium Observation Screening Scale, Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-R-98) (total and severity scores), and Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale.

RESULTS

Using item response theory, we linked scores across instruments, placing all four instruments and their separate scorings on the same metric (the propensity to delirium). Kappa statistics comparing agreement in delirium identification among the instruments ranged from 0.37 to 0.75, with the highest agreement between the DRS-R-98 total score and MDAS. After linking scores, we created a harmonized item bank, called the Delirium Item Bank (DEL-IB), consisting of 50 items. The DEL-IB allowed us to create six crosswalks, to allow scores to be translated across instruments.

CONCLUSIONS

With our results, individual instrument scores can be directly compared to aid in clinical decision-making, and quantitatively combined in meta-analyses.

Detecting delirium in nursing home residents using the Informant Assessment of Geriatric Delirium (I-AGeD): a validation pilot study

Aim

The aims of this study were to record the prevalence of delirium in residents with the DSM-5, to investigate the feasibility of the I-AGeD in a Swiss nursing home and to compare the results of the I-AGeD with the DSM-5 criteria as the reference standard.

Findings

This study shows that the I-AGeD is suitable for detecting delirium in nursing home residents with a sensitivity of 60% and a specificity of 94%.

Message

The I-AGeD is a simple, brief and feasible assessment tool for the detection of delirium in nursing home residents.

Purpose

Early delirium detection in nursing home residents is vital to prevent adverse outcomes. Despite the potential of structured delirium screening tools to enhance delirium detection, they are rarely used in nursing homes. To promote delirium screening tools in nursing homes, they should be easy to integrate into the daily routine of care workers. The I-AGeD, was developed as a simple and easily understandable tool to detect delirium in older adults. The aims of this study were to record the prevalence of delirium, to investigate the feasibility of the I-AGeD, and to compare these results with the DSM-5 as the reference standard.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional prospective single-center pilot study. Seven registered nurses assessed the participants with the I-AGeD. The research assistant conducted delirium assessments based on the DSM-5 criteria, to identify delirium symptoms for the same participants. The feasibility test was verified using a five-point Likert scale ranging from very easy to very difficult.

Results

85 nursing home residents participated in the study. A delirium prevalence of 5.9% was found. The sensitivity was 60% and specificity 94% at a cut point of ≥ 4 to indicate delirium. The feasibility test showed that the 10 items of the I-AGeD were easy or very easy to answer.

Conclusion

The I-AGeD showed an acceptable performance to assess delirium in nursing home residents. Additionally, it was found feasible and due to its brevity the I-AGeD could easily be integrated into the routine of daily care in nursing homes.

Potential Value of Cerebrospinal Fluid Progranulin in the Identification of Postoperative Delirium in Geriatrics Patients Undergoing Knee Replacement: The Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder and Biomarker LifestylE Study

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether progranulin (PGRN) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were associated with postoperative delirium (POD) in geriatric patients undergoing knee replacement.

Method: A total of 600 Han Chinese patients aged 65–90 years and who underwent unilateral total knee arthroplasty were included in the Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder And Biomarker LifestylE (PNDABLE) study from June 2020 to November 2020. All participants were assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method and the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale on postoperative days 1–7 (or before discharge) by an anesthesiologist. CSF PGRN and CSF biomarkers of POD were measured by ELISA. We analyzed the risk and protective factors of POD using the multivariate logistic regression, and the associations between CSF PGRN and CSF biomarkers of POD using multiple linear regression. We also explored whether the influence of CSF PGRN on POD was mediated by POD core pathology in linear regression models.

Results: Postoperative delirium incidence was 9.7% (53/545). There were significant differences in preoperative CSF PGRN between patients with POD and non-POD (NPOD). As for CSF biomarkers, CSF Aβ₄₀, T-tau, and P-tau were risk factors for POD, while CSF PGRN, Aβ₄₂, and Aβ₄₂/Aβ₄₀ were protective factors for POD, as shown by the multivariate logistic regression analysis. CSF PGRN was positively associated with CSF Aβ₄₂ and was negatively associated with CSF Aβ₄₀, T-tau, and P-tau in patients with POD. We found that the AUC was 0.795 (95% CI = 0.706, 0.867) for PGRN between POD and NPOD groups. We found the influence of CSF PGRN on POD was mediated by POD core pathology. The effect was considered partial mediation with the proportion of mediation varying from 44.92 to 62.07%.

Conclusion: Cerebrospinal fluid PGRN may be a reasonably good prognostic factor for POD development. Overall, amyloid pathology and tau protein might partially mediate the influence of PGRN on POD.

Clinical Trial Registration:www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier ChiCTR2000033439.

Potential value of preoperative fasting blood glucose levels in the identification of postoperative delirium in non-diabetic older patients undergoing total hip replacement: The perioperative neurocognitive disorder and biomarker lifestyle study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication after total hip replacement. This study aims to explore the relationship between preoperative fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels and POD in non-diabetic older patients undergoing total hip replacement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included a total of 625 patients undergoing elective total hip replacement under combined spinal and epidural anesthesia from the PNDABLE study. The relationship between POD and preoperative FBG was analyzed by using the logistic regression model. The associations of FBG with individual cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers were detected by using the multivariable linear regression model controlling for age, gender, and education level. The mediation effects were explored by mediation analyses with 5,000 bootstrap iterations, while sensitivity analysis was used to test the reliability and stability of the results. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the nomogram model were applied to evaluate the efficacy of FBG and POD-related CSF biomarkers in predicting POD. POD assessment was performed two times daily by a trained anesthesiologist at 9:00-10:00 am and 2:00-3:00 pm on postoperative days 1-7 or before the patients were discharged from the hospital. POD was defined by the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), and POD severity was measured using the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure CSF Aβ₄₀, Aβ₄₂, T-tau, and P-tau levels.

RESULTS

POD was detected in 10.2% (60/588) of the patients. Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age and education level, the increased levels of FBG (OR 1.427, 95% CI 1.117-1.824, P = 0.004), CSF P-tau (OR 1.039, 95% CI 1.019-1.060, P < 0.001), and CSF T-tau (OR 1.013, 95% CI 1.009-1.018, P < 0.001) were risk factors for POD, and the increased level of CSF Aβ₄₂ (OR 0.996, 95% CI 0.994-0.998, P = 0.001) was a protective factor for POD. Multivariable linear regression models showed that when adjusting for age, gender, and education level, in the POD group, higher preoperative FBG levels were negatively correlated with the CSF Aβ42 level (β = -0.290, P = 0.028) and positively correlated with CSF P-tau (β = 0.384, P = 0.004) and T-tau (β = 0.447, P < 0.001). In the non-POD group, a higher preoperative FBG was not related to CSF biomarkers. Mediated effect analysis showed that CSF T-tau (proportion = 17.1%) had an apparent mediation effect on the relationship between FBG and POD. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the results from the logistic regression and multivariable linear regression models were consistent with previous results.

CONCLUSION

Increased preoperative FBG was a risk factor for POD in older patients without T₂DM, and T-tau might mediate the relationship between FBG and POD.

Potential Value of Serum Lipid in the Identication of Postoperative Delirium Undergoing Knee/Hip Arthroplasty: The Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder and Biomarker Lifestyle Study

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to investigate the relationship between preoperative lipid level and postoperative delirium (POD) and explore whether lipid's effect on POD is mediated by POD core protein.

METHODS

A total of 635 patients who were planned to undergo knee/hip arthroplasty under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia, regardless of gender, were selected. The patients were aged 40-90 years with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I II. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was completed 1 day before the operation. Five milliliter elbow venous blood was taken from the patients before anesthesia, and serum levels of total cholesterol (TG), triglyceride (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) were detected. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was extracted after successful spinal-epidural combined puncture, and amyloid beta₄₀ (Aβ₄₀), amyloid beta₄₂ (Aβ₄₂), total Tau (t-Tau), and phosphorylated Tau (p-Tau) in the CSF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). After the operation, the occurrence and severity of POD were assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method and the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS), respectively. Patients were categorized into POD group and NPOD group. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between POD and TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C, and the mediating effect was used to analyze the role of POD core proteins in the relationship between lipid and MDAS. We used the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and the precision-recall curve (PRC) analysis to assess the ability of TC, TG, LDL-C, and HDL-C ability to predict POD. Finally, we performed a sensitivity analysis to assess the stability of the results.

RESULTS

A total of 562 patients were finally enrolled in this study, and 66 patients developed POD, with an incidence of 11.7%. Logistic regression analysis showed that high concentration of TC (OR = 3.148, 95%CI 1.858∼5.333, P < 0.001), TG (OR = 2.483, 95%CI 1.573∼3.918, P < 0.001), and LDL-C (OR = 2.469, 95%CI 1.310∼4.656, P = 0.005) in serum were risk factors for POD. A high concentration of HDL-C (OR = 0.258, 95%CI 0.112∼0.594, P = 0.001) was a protective factor for POD after adjusted for age, sex, education, and MMSE score. ROC curves showed that HDL-C have the highest sensitivity and specificity in predicting POD. For these four lipid markers, the PRC range from 0.602 to 0.731, respectively. The mediating analysis showed that POD core proteins could partially mediate the relationship between lipid and POD (effect value: 16.19∼91.04%). The results were barely changed in the sensitivity analysis, and the sensitivity analysis has shown that the results were stable.

CONCLUSION

The increase of serum TG, TC, and LDL-C concentration is a risk factor for POD development, while high HDL-C concentration is a protective factor for POD, and the occurrence of POD is caused by hyperlipidemia may be caused by POD core proteins.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

[www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [Chictr200033439].

Incidence of postoperative delirium in patients with preoperative and postoperative Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome. A Systematic Review of the literature

Introduction

Clinical research has suggested that there might be a correlation between postoperative delirium (POD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome. We aimed to assess the association between POD and OSA syndrome.

Methods

The electronic database PubMed was searched using combinations of terms for "Delirium,'' "Obstructive Sleep Apnea,'' and "postoperative delirium.'' Excluded were studies without comparison as well as cross-sectional studies, case series, and case reports. The search was conducted with restriction toward English or not to the date of publication.

Results

We included four studies in this review. In two of those studies, an association was found between POD and OSA syndrome. Pooled analysis showed a significant correlation between the two.

Conclusion

High-quality studies regarding the subject are rare and heterogeneous. However, despite the lack of high-quality studies regarding the subject, the ones that are performed well conclude that there is a correlation between POD and OSA syndrome. Future studies addressing the matter should be well set up controlled clinical trials to draw conclusions and be able to investigate modifiable factors that can be used in a standardized protocol.

Effect of music on clinical outcome after hip fracture operations (MCHOPIN): study protocol of a multicentre randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing proximal femur fracture surgery are at high risk of postoperative complications, with postoperative delirium occurring in 25%-40% of patients. Delirium has profound effects on patient outcome and recovery, the patient's family, caregivers and medical costs. Perioperative music has a beneficial effect on eliciting modifiable risk factors of delirium. Therefore, the aim of this trial was to evaluate the effect of perioperative recorded music on postoperative delirium in patients with proximal femur fracture undergoing surgery.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The Music on Clinical Outcome after Hip Fracture Operations study is an investigator-initiated, multicentre, randomised controlled, open-label, clinical trial. Five hundred and eight patients with proximal femur fracture meeting eligibility criteria will be randomised to the music intervention or control group with concealed allocation in a 1:1 ratio, stratified by hospital site. The perioperative music intervention consists of preselected lists totalling 30 hours of music, allowing participants to choose their preferred music from these lists (classical, jazz and blues, pop and Dutch). The primary outcome measure is postoperative delirium rate. Secondary outcome measures include pain, anxiety, medication requirement, postoperative complications, hospital length of stay and 30-day mortality. A 90-day follow-up will be performed in order to assess nursing home length of stay, readmission rate and functional ability to perform daily living activities. Furthermore, the cost and cost-effectiveness of the music intervention will be assessed. Data will be analysed according to an intention-to-treat principle.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study protocol has been approved by the Medical Research Ethics Committee Erasmus MC on 8 October 2018 (MEC-2018-110, NL64721.078.18). The trial will be carried out following the Declaration of Helsinki principles, Good Clinical Practice guidelines and Dutch Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act. Research data will be reported following Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines and study results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NTR7036.

Intraoperative Oxygen Concentration and Postoperative Delirium After Laparoscopic Gastric and Colorectal Malignancies Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial

Purpose

Postoperative delirium (POD) is common in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for gastric and colorectal malignancies. POD may be affected by different fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO₂). The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of different FiO₂ on POD.

Patients and Methods

A randomized, double-blind controlled trial was performed in Qingdao Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University. A total of 662 patients aged 65 to 85 years old underwent isolated laparoscopic radical gastrectomy, radical resection of colon cancer, or radical resection of rectal cancer only. A random number table method was used to divide the patients into two groups: 40% FiO₂ (group A) and 80% FiO₂ (group B). The primary endpoint was the incidence of POD, which was assessed by the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) twice daily during the first 7 postoperative days, and POD severity was measured by the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). The secondary endpoints were the intraoperative regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO₂), Bispectral (BIS) index, invasive arterial blood pressure (IABP), oxygen saturation (SpO₂), end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure (P_ETCO₂), the number of atelectasis cases and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores on days 1-7 after surgery.

Results

The incidence of POD was 19.37% (122/630), including 20.38% (64/314) in group A and 18.35% (58/316) in group B. No statistical significance was found in the incidence of POD between the two groups (P > 0.05); compared with group B, SpO₂, rSO₂ and PaO₂ decreased at T₂ to T₄ time point (P < 0.01), and the incidence of postoperative atelectasis decreased (P < 0.05) in group A.

Conclusion

The incidence of POD was not significantly affected by different FiO₂ and the incidence of postoperative atelectasis was decreased at low FiO₂.

Subjective Cognitive Decline May Be Associated With Post-operative Delirium in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Replacement: The PNDABLE Study

Objective: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is associated with an increased risk of clinical cognitive disorders. Post-operative delirium (POD) is a common complication after total hip replacement. We aimed to investigate the relationship between SCD and POD in patients undergoing total hip replacement. Methods: Our study recruited 214 cognitively intact individuals from the Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder And Biomarker Lifestyle (PNDABLE) study in the final analysis. SCD was diagnosed with Subjective Cognitive Decline Scale (SCDS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The incidence of POD was evaluated by using Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), and POD severity was measured by using the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). Preoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ40, Aβ42, T-tau, and P-tau levels were measured by enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Overall, the incidence of POD was 26.64% (57/214), including 32.43% (36/111) in the SCD group and 20.39% (21/103) in the NC group. With the increase of age, the incidence of POD in all age groups increased (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for SCD, Aβ42, Aβ40, P-tau, and T-tau, SCD (OR 2.32, CI 1.18-4.55, P = 0.01) and the increased CSF level of P-tau (OR 1.04, CI 1.01-1.06, P < 0.001) were risk factors for POD, while the level of aβ42 (OR 0.99, CI 0.99-1.00, P < 0.001) was a protective factor for POD. Conclusion: SCD is one of the preoperative risk factors for POD. Clinical Trial Registration: This study was registered at China Clinical Trial Registry (Chictr200033439).

Cerebrospinal fluid cholinergic biomarkers are associated with postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing Total hip/knee replacement: a prospective cohort study

Background

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a frequent complication after surgery and its occurrence is associated with poor outcomes. The neuropathology of this complication is unclear, but it is important to evaluate relevant biomarkers for postoperative status. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between expression levels of cholinergic biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the occurrence and development of POD in elderly patients.

Methods

Four hundred and ninety-two elderly patients aged 65 years old or older with elective total hip/knee replacement received combined spinal-epidural anesthesia. Preoperative baseline cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) before surgery. Each patient was interviewed in post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and on the first, second, third and seventh (or before discharge) postoperative days. POD was diagnosed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), and POD severity was measured using the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). Preoperative CSF and plasma choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were determined by ELISA. The levels of ChAT, AChE and BuChE activities were determined by spectrophotometry.

Results

POD was detected in 11.4% (51/447) of the patients. AChE, BuChE, ChAT, TNF-α and IL-6 concentrations in CSF and plasma have higher consistency. In preoperative CSF and preoperative and postoperative plasma, down-regulation of the concentration and activity of AChE and BuChE as well as up-regulation of the concentration and activity of ChAT and the concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-α were observed in patients who developed POD, and the decrease in BuChE was the most obvious. Logistic analysis showed the activities of ChAT, AChE and BuChE in CSF were still related to POD after adjusting for related factors such as sex, age, years of education, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to determine the Area Under Curve (AUC) of AChE, BuChE and ChAT activity in CSF was 0.679 (P < 0.01), 0.940 (P < 0.01) and 0.819 (P < 0.01) respectively and found that BuChE activity had the most accurate diagnostic value.

Conclusion

The changes in preoperative activity of AChE, BuChE and ChAT in CSF were associated with the development of POD in elderly patients, and BuChE activity had the greatest diagnostic value, which may be related to central cholinergic degradation. These cholinergic biomarkers might participate in the neuropathology of POD, pending further investigations.

Trial registration

This study was registered at Chictr.org.cn (NO. ChiCTR1900023729) June 9th, 2019. (Retrospectively registered).

Validation of two nurse-based screening tools for delirium in elderly patients in general medical wards

Background

Delirium is an acute disturbance characterized by fluctuating symptoms related to attention, awareness and recognition. Especially for elderly patients, delirium is frequently associated with high hospital costs and resource consumption, worse functional deterioration and increased mortality rates. Early recognition of risk factors and delirium symptoms enables medical staff to prevent or treat negative effects. Most studies examining screening instruments for delirium were conducted in intensive care units and surgical wards, and rarely in general medical wards. The aim of the study is to validate the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (Nu-DESC) and the Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOS) in general medical wards in a German tertiary care hospital, considering predisposing delirium risk factors in patients aged 65 and older.

Methods

The prospective observational study including 698 patients was conducted between May and August 2018 in two neurological and one cardiology ward. During their shifts, trained nurses assessed all patients aged 65 or older for delirium symptoms using the Nu-DESC and the DOS. Delirium was diagnosed according to the DSM-5 criteria by neurologists. Patient characteristics and predisposing risk factors were obtained from the digital patient management system. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were computed.

Results

The study determined an overall delirium occurrence rate of 9.0%. Regarding the DOS, sensitivity was 0.94, specificity 0.86, PPV 0.40 NPV 0.99 and regarding the Nu-DESC, sensitivity was 0.98, specificity 0.87, PPV 0.43, NPV 1.00. Several predisposing risk factors increased the probability of delirium: pressure ulcer risk OR: 17.3; falls risk OR: 14.0; immobility OR: 12.7; dementia OR: 5.38.

Conclusions

Both screening instruments provided high accuracy for delirium detection in general medical wards. The Nu-DESC proved to be an efficient delirium screening tool that can be integrated into routine patient care. According to the study results, pressure ulcer risk, falls risk, and immobility were risk factors triggering delirium in most cases. Impaired mobility, as common risk factor of the before mentioned risks, is well known to be preventable through physical activity programmes.

Long-term outcomes of major abdominal surgery and postoperative delirium after multimodal prehabilitation of older patients

PURPOSE

The long-term outcomes of surgery followed by delirium after multimodal prehabilitation program are largely unknown. We conducted this study to assess the effects of prehabilitation on 1-year mortality and of postoperative delirium on 1-year mortality and functional outcomes.

METHODS

The subjects of this study were patients aged ≥ 70 years who underwent elective surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) or colorectal cancer (CRC) between January 2013, and June 2018. A prehabilitation program was implemented in November 2015, which aimed to optimize physical health, nutritional status, factors of frailty and preoperative anemia prior to surgery. The outcomes were assessed as mortality after 6 and 12 months, compared between the two treatment groups; and mortality and functional outcomes, compared between patients with and those without delirium.

RESULTS

There were 627 patients (controls N = 360, prehabilitation N = 267) included in this study. Prehabilitation did not reduce mortality after 1 year (HR 1.31 [95% CI 0.75-2.30]; p = 0.34). Delirium was significantly associated with 1-year mortality (HR 4.36 [95% CI 2.45-7.75]; p < 0.001) and with worse functional outcomes after 6 and 12 months (KATZ ADL p = 0.013 and p = 0.004; TUG test p = 0.041 and p = 0.011, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The prehabilitation program did not reduce 1-year mortality. Delirium and the burden of comorbidity are both independently associated with an increased risk of 1-year mortality and delirium is associated with worse functional outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Dutch Trial Registration, NTR5932. https://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=5932 .

[Delirium at the Hospital - Nursing effort and risk of falling: A Routine data analysis]

Delirium at the Hospital - Nursing effort and risk of falling: A Routine data analysis Abstract. Background: In order to reduce the risks and symptoms of delirium, a total hospital guideline for delirium prevention and management was established. To date, there have been few findings on the implementation of the guideline. Question / Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse data collected by application of the Delirium Observation Screening Scale and on the use of care measures for the prevention and treatment of delirium. As part of this analyses, also associations between the screening outcomes (symptoms of confusion) and the implementation of care measures and the rate of fall events, respectively, were examined in patients aged 70 and older. Method: In a non-experimental correlative cross-sectional study, routine data from the patient administration program PatWeb and the patient documentation system WiCare-Doc were analyzed over a period of four months. Results: Patients with symptoms of confusion received twice the duration of delirium-specific care compared to patients without symptoms of confusion. Their risk of falling was 4.4 times higher and after a fall event they received a significantly longer period of delirium specific care. Conclusions: The results show that the care of patients with delirium is intensive. Time is the prerequisite for care adapted to this patient group. The transfer of knowledge into practice must be strengthened to further enable nurses in implementing the prevention and management of delirium. The development of an "Advanced Practice Nurse Delirium" is also recommended for practice development and as support for every day nursing care.

Proteomic Analysis of Preoperative CSF Reveals Risk Biomarkers of Postoperative Delirium

Objective: To analyze the proteome of preoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in older orthopedic patients with or without postoperative delirium (POD) using untargeted proteomics. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted. Eighty hip fracture patients aged ≥65 years were recruited. After successful spinal anesthesia, CSF was collected. The patients were divided into POD and No-POD groups based on the Confusion Assessment Method, and patients with POD were graded using the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). Thirty No-POD patients were matched to 10 POD patients by age (±2 years) and Mini-Mental State Examination score (±2 scores). Label-free proteomic analysis was performed using a liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) workflow. Validation was performed using mass-spectrometry-based parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) for the 30 No-POD and 10 POD patients, as well as for an additional 5 POD patients. Bioinformatics were used to investigate possible relevant pathological mechanisms. Results: The incidence of POD in older orthopedic patients was 18.8% in our cohort of 80 patients. Proteomics results revealed 63 dysregulated CSF proteins, and PRM analysis validated these results. The preoperative CSF levels of both V-set and transmembrane domain-containing protein 2B (VSTM2B) and coagulation factor V (FA5) were positively correlated with MDAS scores on postoperative day 1 (r > 0.8, p < 0.05). Bioinformatic analysis revealed that several nervous-system-related pathways are relevant to POD development. Conclusion: We identified and validated several novel CSF proteins that are dysregulated in POD, and revealed several pathways that are relevant to POD development. Our results not only provide risk biomarkers for POD, but also give clues for further investigations into the pathological mechanisms of delirium. Clinical trial registration: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900021533).

Multimodal prehabilitation to reduce the incidence of delirium and other adverse events in elderly patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery: An uncontrolled before-and-after study

Background

Delirium is a common and serious complication in elderly patients undergoing major abdominal surgery, with significant adverse outcomes. Successful strategies or therapies to reduce the incidence of delirium are scarce. The objective of this study was to assess the role of prehabilitation in reducing the incidence of delirium in elderly patients.

Methods

A single-center uncontrolled before-and-after study was conducted, including patients aged 70 years or older who underwent elective abdominal surgery for colorectal carcinoma or an abdominal aortic aneurysm between January 2013 and October 2015 (control group) and between November 2015 and June 2018 (prehabilitation group). The prehabilitation group received interventions to improve patients’ physical health, nutritional status, factors of frailty and preoperative anaemia prior to surgery. The primary outcome was incidence of delirium, diagnosed with the DSM-V criteria or the confusion assessment method. Secondary outcomes were additional complications, length of stay, unplanned ICU admission, length of ICU stay, readmission rate, institutionalization, and in-hospital or 30-day mortality.

Result

A total of 360 control patients and 267 prehabilitation patients were included in the final analysis. The mean number of prehabilitation days was 39 days. The prehabilitation group had a higher burden of comorbidities and was more physically and visually impaired at baseline. At adjusted logistic regression analysis, delirium incidence was reduced significantly from 11.7 to 8.2% (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.32–0.98; P = 0.043). No statistically significant effects were seen on secondary outcomes.

Conclusion

Current prehabilitation program is feasible and safe, and can reduce delirium incidence in elderly patients undergoing elective major abdominal surgery. This program merits further evaluation.

Trial registration

Dutch Trial Registration, NTR5932.

Methods of identifying delirium: A research protocol

Delirium is an acute disorder affecting up to 80% of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. It is associated with a 10-fold increase in cognitive impairment, triples the rate of in-hospital mortality, and costs $164 billion annually. Delirium acutely affects attention and global cognitive function with fluctuating symptoms caused by underlying organic etiologies. Early detection is crucial because the longer a patient experiences delirium the worse it becomes and the harder it is to treat. Currently, identification is through intermittent clinical assessment using standardized tools, like the Confusion Assessment Method for ICU. Such tools work well in clinical research but do not translate well into clinical practice because they are subjective, intermittent and have low sensitivity. As such, healthcare providers using these tools fail to recognize delirium symptoms as much as 80% of the time. Delirium-related biochemical derangement leads to electrical changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns followed by behavioral signs and symptoms. However, continuous EEG monitoring is not feasible due to cost and need for skilled interpretation. Studies using limited-lead EEG show large differences between patients with and without delirium while discriminating delirium from other causes. The Ceribell is a limited-lead device that analyzes EEG. If it is capable of detecting delirium, it would provide an objective physiological monitor to identify delirium before symptom onset. This pilot study was designed to explore relationships between Ceribell and delirium status. Completion of this study will provide a foundation for further research regarding delirium status using the Ceribell data.

Inter-Rater Reliability and User-Friendliness of the Delirium Observation Screening Scale

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Delirium is a common and often unrecognized complication of hospitalized elderly patients. Currently, there is no evidence for inter-rater reliability studies between registered nurses in the literature. Furthermore, the user-friendliness of the Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOSS) has not been tested in Austria.

METHODS

A quantitative cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of 141 patients and 36 nurses in an Austrian hospital.

RESULTS

Analysis of rater-agreement and inter-rater reliability on item level, total score as well as category of delirium risk demonstrated very high agreement. In contrast, no or only fair kappa coefficient were determined. The user-friendliness of the scale was partially satisfactory.

CONCLUSIONS

The very high absolute agreement speaks for the reliability of DOSS although the kappa paradox became obvious. The results of the presented study relate only to the tested setting.

Delirium assessment in hospitalized elderly patients: Italian translation and validation of the nursing delirium screening scale

BACKGROUND

Delirium has a high incidence pathology associated with negative outcomes. Although highly preventable, half the cases are not recognized. One major cause of delirium misdiagnosis is the absence of a versatile instrument to measure it.

AIMS

Our objective was to translate the nursing delirium screening scale (Nu-DESC) and evaluate its performance in Italian settings.

METHODS

This was a methodological study conducted in two sequential phases. The first was the Italian translation of Nu-DESC through a translation and back-translation process. The second aimed to test the inter-rater reliability, the sensibility and specificity of the instrument on a convenience sample of 101 hospitalized elderly people admitted to relevant wards of the San Gerardo Hospital in Monza. To evaluate the inter-rater reliability, two examiners tested Nu-DESC on 20 patients concurrently without comparison. To measure the sensibility and specificity of Nu-DESC, the confusion assessment method was used as a gold standard measure.

RESULTS

The inter-rater reliability (Cohen Kappa) was 0.87-an excellent agreement between examiners. The study of the ROC curve showed an AUC value of 0.9461 suggesting high test accuracy. Using 3 as a cut-off value, Nu-DESC showed 100 % sensibility and 76 % specificity.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Further research is needed to test Nu-DESC on a larger sample. However, based on our results, Nu-DESC can be used in research and clinical practice in Italian settings because of its very good and similar performances to previous validation studies. The value of 3 appears to be the optimal cut-off in the Italian context.

NeurimmiRs and Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients Undergoing Total Hip/Knee Replacement: A Pilot Study

Objective: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a frequent complication after surgery and its occurrence is associated with poor outcomes. The pathophysiology of this complication is not clear, but identification of risk factors is important for positive postoperative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between the preoperative expression levels of microRNA (miR)-146a, miR-125b, and miR-181c in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum and the development and severity of POD.

Methods: Forty elderly patients aged 65 years old and older admitted for elective total hip/knee replacement under spinal anesthesia. Preoperatively, baseline cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Each patient was interviewed daily on the first and second postoperative days. Delirium was diagnosed using the Confusion Assessment Method, and delirium severity was measured using the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). Preoperative serum and CSF miR levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).

Results: POD was detected in 27.5% (11/40) of patients. Up-regulation of miR-146a and miR-181c in CSF and down-regulation of miR-146a in serum were observed preoperatively in patients who developed POD, while patients with and without POD did not differ in serum or CSF levels of miR-125b. Delirious patients had higher CSF/serum ratios of miR-146a and miR-181c levels than non-delirious patients. The lower CSF miR-146a and CSF/serum miR-146a ratios were significantly associated with milder POD severity, represented by a lower MDAS score.

Conclusion: The dysregulation of preoperative miR-146a and miR-181c in CSF and serum was associated with the development and severity of POD. These NeurimmiRs might participate in the neuropathogenesis of POD, pending further investigations.

Clinical trial registration: this study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02817386).

Quantifying the Severity of a Delirium Episode Throughout Hospitalization: the Combined Importance of Intensity and Duration

BACKGROUND

The ability to determine which episodes of delirium are likely to lead to poor clinical outcomes has remained a major area of challenge.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify delirium severity and course over an entire hospitalization using several measures, and to evaluate their predictive validity for 30- and 90-day outcomes post-discharge.

DESIGN

Two prospective cohort studies.

PARTICIPANTS

Analysis was conducted in two independent cohorts of adult patients aged ≥70.

MAIN MEASURES

Nine delirium episode severity measures were examined: (1) measures reflecting delirium intensity (peak Confusion Assessment Method-Severity [CAM-S] and mean CAM-S score), (2) a measure reflecting delirium intensity and duration (sum of all CAM-S scores, sum of all CAM-S scores on delirium days only, peak CAM-S score x days with delirium), (3) measures requiring information on delirium duration and delirium at discharge (total number of delirium days, percentage of delirium days, delirium at discharge), and (4) a measure of cognitive change. Associations of the delirium episode severity measures with 30- and 90-day post-hospital outcomes (death, nursing home placement, and readmission) relevant to delirium were examined.

KEY RESULTS

The delirium episode severity measure that required information on both delirium intensity and duration (sum of all CAM-S scores) was the most strongly associated with 30- and 90-day post-hospital outcomes. Using this measure, the relative risk [95 % confidence interval] for death at 30-days increased across levels of sum of all CAM-S scores from 1.0 (referent) to 2.1 [0.8, 5.4] for 'low,' to 2.9 [1.2, 7.1] for 'moderate,' to 6.4 [2.9, 14.0] for 'high' (p for trend <.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The delirium episode severity measure that included both intensity and duration had the strongest association with important post-hospital outcomes.

Validation of the Sour Seven Questionnaire for screening delirium in hospitalized seniors by informal caregivers and untrained nurses

Background

Delirium is a common condition in hospitalized seniors that nonetheless often goes undetected by nurses or is delayed in being detected which negatively impacts quality of care and outcomes. We sought to develop a new screening tool for delirium, The Sour Seven Questionnaire, a 7-item questionnaire suitable to be completed from informal or untrained caregiver observation. The study aimed to develop the scoring criteria for a positive delirium screen and assess concurrent validity of the questionnaire against a geriatric psychiatrist’s assessment.

Methods

A pilot study of 80 hospitalized seniors over age 65 recruited from three units (2 medical, 1 orthopedic). Participants were assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) with a brief cognitive screen and the Sour Seven Questionnaire posed to the appointed informal caregiver (family member) or untrained nurse for up-to 7 days. Subjects testing positive on the CAM and a random sample of negatively CAM screened subjects were assessed by the geriatric psychiatrist.

Results

From 80 participants, 21 screened positive for delirium on the CAM. 18 of the 21 CAM positive screens were diagnosed to have delirium by the geriatric psychiatrist, and 17 of the 18 randomly assigned negative CAM screens were confirmed as not having delirium. From the questionnaires on these 39 participants, weighted scoring for each of the 7 questions of the Sour Seven Questionnaire was developed based on their relative risks for correctly predicting delirium when compared to the geriatric psychiatrist’s clinical assessment. Total scoring of the questionnaire resulted in the following positive predictive values for delirium: 89 % with a total score of 4 (sensitivity 89.5 %, specificity 90 %), and 100 % with a total score of 9 (sensitivity 63.2 %, specificity 100 %). Comparison between scoring on questionnaires posed to informal caregivers versus untrained nurses showed no differences.

Conclusion

A weighted score of 4 in the Sour Seven Questionnaire has concurrent validity as a screening tool for delirium and a score of 9 is diagnostic for delirium. The Sour Seven Questionnaire is the first screening tool for delirium shown to be suitable for use by informal caregivers and untrained nurses in hospitalized seniors.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12877-016-0217-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

A before and after study of a nurse led comprehensive delirium management programme (DemDel) for older acute care inpatients with cognitive impairment

BACKGROUND

Studies estimate that approximately one-third of episodes of delirium are preventable and that delirium prevention and management are often suboptimal in practice. While there is no doubt that prevention is desirable, the evidence of the benefits of early intervention and treatment for older hospitalised patients with dementia is unclear.

AIM

To determine the effects of DemDel, a comprehensive delirium management programme, in inpatient acute care elders with cognitive impairment.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This paper reports the quantitative part of a mixed methods study, comparing an intervention with treatment as usual using validated outcome measures. After training, ward nurses and physicians administered the intervention based on the DemDel algorithm that focused on delirium prevention, including an intensive systematic screening schedule for cognitive impairment and delirium, as well as comprehensive delirium management. The delirium management regimen included timely administration of pro re nata medication.

SETTINGS

The study was conducted within four medical wards of an acute care university hospital in urban Switzerland.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 268 patients with cognitive impairment participated in the pre/post comparison study. The intervention and treatment as usual groups consisted of 138 and 130 patients, respectively.

RESULTS

Eighty-seven (32.5%) out of 268 patients developed delirium, of whom 51 (58.6%) were of mixed, 10 (11.5%) hyperactive and 26 (29.9%) hypoactive delirium subtypes. Delirium appeared within the first five days after admission in 81.6% of cases. The 44 (31.9%) patients with delirium in the intervention group with systematic delirium management had less severe episodes of delirium and required medication for management than the 43 (33.1%) delirious patients in the control group. Intervention compliance was good on three of the four units.

CONCLUSIONS

The DemDel programme was effective with regard to improvement of outcomes associated with delirium in patients with cognitive impairment. The intervention was feasible and possible to be embedded within routine practice on four busy general medical wards.

Recognizing acute delirium as part of your routine [RADAR]: a validation study

Background

Although detection of delirium using the current tools is excellent in research settings, in routine clinical practice, this is not the case. Together with nursing staff, we developed a screening tool (RADAR) to address certain limitations of existing tools, notably administration time, ease-of-use and generalizability. The purpose of this study was not only to evaluate the validity and reliability of RADAR but also to gauge its acceptability among the nursing staff in two different clinical settings.

Methods

This was a validation study conducted on three units of an acute care hospital (medical, cardiology and coronary care) and five units of a long-term care facility. A total of 142 patients and 51 residents aged 65 and over, with or without dementia, participated in the study and 139 nurses were recruited and trained to use the RADAR tool. Data on each patient/resident was collected over a 12-hour period. The nursing staff and researchers administered RADAR during the scheduled distribution of medication. Researchers used the Confusion Assessment Method to determine the presence of delirium symptoms. Delirium itself was defined as meeting the criteria for DMS-IV-TR delirium. Inter-rater reliability, convergent, and concurrent validity of RADAR were assessed. At study end, 103 (74%) members of the nursing staff completed the RADAR feasibility and acceptability questionnaire.

Results

Percentages of agreement between RADAR items that bedside nurses administered and those research assistants administered varied from 82% to 98%. When compared with DSM-IV-TR criterion-defined delirium, RADAR had a sensitivity of 73% and a specificity of 67%. Participating nursing staff took about seven seconds on average, to complete the tool and it was very well received (≥98%) overall.

Conclusions

The RADAR tool proved to be efficient, reliable, sensitive and very well accepted by nursing staff. Consequently, it becomes an appropriate new option for delirium screening among older adults, with or without cognitive impairment, in both hospitals and nursing homes. Further projects are currently underway to validate the RADAR among middle-aged adults, as well as in newer clinical settings; home care, emergency department, medical intensive care unit, and palliative care.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12912-015-0070-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Management of delirium in palliative care: a review

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 (terminal delirium). By reviewing the most relevant studies (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycLit, PsycInfo, Cochrane Library), a correct assessment to make the diagnosis (e.g., DSM-5, delirium assessment tools), the identification of the possible etiological factors, and the application of multicomponent and integrated interventions were reported as the correct steps to effectively manage delirium in palliative care. In terms of medications, both conventional (e.g., haloperidol) and atypical antipsychotics (e.g., olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine, aripiprazole) were shown to be equally effective in the treatment of delirium. No recommendation was possible in palliative care regarding the use of other drugs (e.g., α-2 receptors agonists, psychostimulants, cholinesterase inhibitors, melatonergic drugs). Non-pharmacological interventions (e.g., behavioral and educational) were also shown to be important in the management of delirium. More research is necessary to clarify how to more thoroughly manage delirium in palliative care.

Risk factors for postoperative delirium in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting: A prospective cohort study

PURPOSE

This study was designed to identify the incidence and independent perioperative risk factors associated with postoperative delirium of patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in a large intensive care unit setting in China.

METHODS

Delirium was diagnosed by the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit (CAM-ICU). Baseline demographics, perioperative data, and postoperative outcomes of 249 consecutive patients who underwent CABG were recorded prospectively and analyzed via univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression to determine the independent risk factors of postoperative delirium.

RESULTS

Postoperative delirium was detected in 76 patients according to CAM-ICU criteria. The incidence was 30.52%. Patients with and without delirium differed significantly on 34 variables (P < .05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that preoperative atrial fibrillation (odds ratio [OR], 3.957; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.727-9.066), elevated European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation (OR, 1.178; 95% CI, 1.018-1.364), cognitive impairment (OR, 3.231; 95% CI, 1.008-10.356), prolonged surgery duration (OR, 1.008; 95% CI, 1.003-1.014), postoperative poor quality of sleep (OR, 5.001; 95% CI, 2.476-10.101), and electrolyte disturbance (OR, 2.095; 95% CI, 1.041-4.216) were independently associated with postoperative delirium after CABG.

CONCLUSIONS

Delirium is a frequent complication. Factors independently associated with delirium are preoperative atrial fibrillation, elevated European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation and cognitive impairment, longer surgery duration, postoperative poor quality of sleep, and electrolyte disturbance. The study may be helpful in decreasing the incidence of postoperative delirium after CABG by treating these predictors properly.

Efficacy and safety of haloperidol prophylaxis for delirium prevention in older medical and surgical at-risk patients acutely admitted to hospital through the emergency department: study protocol of a multicenter, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Delirium is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality rates in elderly hospitalised patients, and a growing problem due to increase in life expectancy. Implementation of standardised non-pharmacological delirium prevention strategies is challenging and adherence remains low. Pharmacological delirium prevention with haloperidol, currently the drug of choice for delirium, seems promising. However, the generalisability of randomised controlled trial results is questionable since studies have only been performed in selected postoperative hip-surgery and intensive care unit patient populations. We therefore present the design of the multicenter, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on early pharmacological intervention to prevent delirium: haloperidol prophylaxis in older emergency department patients (The HARPOON study).

METHODS/DESIGN

In six Dutch hospitals, at-risk patients aged 70 years or older acutely admitted through the emergency department for general medicine and surgical specialties are randomised (n = 390) for treatment with prophylactic haloperidol 1 mg or placebo twice daily for a maximum of seven consecutive days. Primary outcome measure is the incidence of in-hospital delirium within seven days of start of the study intervention, diagnosed with the Confusion Assessment Method, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition criteria for delirium. Secondary outcome measures include delirium severity and duration assessed with the Delirium Rating Scale Revised 98; number of delirium-free days; adverse events; hospital length-of-stay; all-cause mortality; new institutionalisation; (Instrumental) Activities of Daily Living assessed with the Katz Index of ADL, and Lawton IADL scale; cognitive function assessed with the Six-item Cognitive Impairment Test, and the Dutch short form Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly. Patients will be contacted by telephone three and six months post-discharge to collect data on cognitive- and physical function, home residency, all-cause hospital admissions, and all-cause mortality.

DISCUSSION

The HARPOON study will provide relevant information on the efficacy and safety of prophylactic haloperidol treatment for in-hospital delirium and its effects on relevant clinical outcomes in elderly at-risk medical and surgical patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

EudraCT Number: 201100476215; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01530308; Dutch Clinical Trial Registry: NTR3207.

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.

Does an additional structured information program during the intensive care unit stay reduce anxiety in ICU patients?: a multicenter randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Communication and information in order to reduce anxiety in the intensive care unit (ICU) has been described as area needing improvement. Therefore, the aim of this trial was to evaluate whether a structured information program that intensifies information given in standard care process reduces anxiety in ICU patients.

METHODS

Multicenter, two-armed, non-blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial in hospitals in the cities of Marburg, Halle, and Stuttgart (Germany). The trial was performed in cardiac surgery, general surgery, and internal medicine ICUs. Two-hundred and eleven elective and non-elective ICU patients were enrolled in the study (intervention group, n = 104; control group, n = 107). The experimental intervention comprised a single episode of structured oral information that was given in addition to standard care and covered two main parts: (1) A more standardized part about predefined ICU specific aspects - mainly procedural, sensory and coping information, and (2) an individualized part about fears and questions of the patient. The control group received a non-specific episodic conversation of similar length additional to standard care. Both conversations took place at the beginning of the ICU stay and lasted 10-15 minutes. Study nurses administered both interventions. The primary outcome ICU-related anxiety (CINT-Score, 0-100 pts., higher scores indicate higher anxiety) was assessed after admission to a regular ward.

RESULTS

The primary outcome could be measured in 82 intervention group participants and 90 control group participants resulting in mean values of 20.4 (SD 14.4) compared to 20.8 (SD 14.7) and a mean difference of -0.2 (CI 95% -4.5 to 4.1).

CONCLUSIONS

A structured information intervention additional to standard care during ICU stay had no demonstrated additional benefit compared to an unspecific communication of similar duration. Reduction of anxiety in ICU patients will probably require more continuous approaches to information giving and communication.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00764933.

Haloperidol prophylaxis does not prevent postoperative delirium in elderly patients: a randomized, open-label prospective trial

PURPOSE

Postoperative delirium is the most common postoperative complication in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the preventive administration of low-dose haloperidol on the development of postoperative delirium after abdominal or orthopedic surgery in elderly patients.

SUBJECTS

A total of 119 patients aged 75 years or older who underwent elective surgery for digestive or orthopedic disease were included in this study.

METHODS

Patients were divided into those who did (intervention group, n = 59) and did not (control group, n = 60) receive 2.5 mg of haloperidol at 18:00 daily for 3 days after surgery; a randomized, open-label prospective study was performed on these groups. The primary endpoint was the incidence of postoperative delirium during the first 7 days after the operation.

RESULTS

The incidence of postoperative delirium in all patients was 37.8%. No side effects involving haloperidol were noted; however, the incidences of postoperative delirium were 42.4 and 33.3% in the intervention and control groups, respectively, which were not significantly different (p = 0.309). No significant effect of the treatment was observed on the severity or persistence of postoperative delirium.

CONCLUSIONS

The preventive administration of low-dose haloperidol did not induce any adverse events, but also did not significantly decrease the incidence or severity of postoperative delirium or shorten its persistence.

Delirium outcomes in a randomized trial of blood transfusion thresholds in hospitalized older adults with hip fracture

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether a higher blood transfusion threshold would prevent new or worsening delirium symptoms in the hospital after hip fracture surgery.

DESIGN

Ancillary study to a randomized clinical trial.

SETTING

Thirteen hospitals in the United States and Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred thirty-nine individuals hospitalized with hip fracture aged 50 and older (mean age 81.5 ± 9.1) with cardiovascular disease or risk factors and hemoglobin concentrations of less than 10 g/dL within 3 days of surgery recruited in an ancillary study of the Transfusion Trigger Trial for Functional Outcomes in Cardiovascular Patients Undergoing Surgical Hip Fracture Repair.

INTERVENTION

Individuals in the liberal treatment group received one unit of packed red blood cells and as much blood as needed to maintain hemoglobin concentrations at greater than 10 g/dL; those in the restrictive treatment group received transfusions if they developed symptoms of anemia or their hemoglobin fell below 8 g/dL.

MEASUREMENTS

Delirium assessments were performed before randomization and up to three times after randomization. The primary outcome was severity of delirium according to the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS). The secondary outcome was the presence or absence of delirium defined according to the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM).

RESULTS

The liberal group received a median two units of blood and the restrictive group zero units of blood. Hemoglobin concentration on Day 1 after randomization was 1.4 g/dL higher in the liberal group. Treatment groups did not differ significantly at any time point or over time on MDAS delirium severity (P = .28) or CAM delirium presence (P = .83).

CONCLUSION

Blood transfusion to maintain hemoglobin concentrations greater than 10 g/dL alone is unlikely to influence delirium severity or rate in individuals with hip fracture after surgery with a hemoglobin concentration less than 10 g/dL.

Reliability of delirium rating scale (DRS) and delirium rating scale-revised-98 (DRS-R98) using variance-based multivariate modelling

Delirium's characteristic fluctuation in symptom severity complicates the assessment of test-retest reliability of scales using classical analyses, but application of modelling to longitudinal data offers a new approach. We evaluated test-retest reliability of the delirium rating scale (DRS) and delirium rating scale-revised-98 (DRS-R98), two widely used instruments with high validity and inter-rater reliability. Two existing longitudinal datasets for each scale included DSM-IV criteria for delirium diagnosis and repeated measurements using the DRS or DRS-R98. To estimate the reliability coefficients RT and RΛ for each scale we used a macros provided by Dr. Laenen at http://www.ibiostat.be/software/measurement.asp. For each dataset a linear mixed-effects model was fitted to estimate the variance-covariance parameters. A total of 531 cases with between 4 and 9 measurement points across studies including both delirious and non-delirious patients. Comorbid dementia in the datasets varied from 27% to 55%. Overall RT for the DRS were 0.71 and 0.50 and for DRS-R98 0.75 and 0.84. RΛ values for DRS were 0.99 and 0.98 and for DRS-R98 were 0.92 and 0.96. Individual RT measures for DRS-R98 and DRS across visits within studies showed more range than overall values. Our models found high overall reliability for both scales. Multiple factors impact a scale's reliability values including sample size, repeated measurements, patient population, etc in addition to rater variability.

Assessment of people with cognitive impairment and hip fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This study systematically assesses the literature pertaining to the diagnostic test accuracy of assessment instruments to evaluate patients following hip fracture surgery who present with cognitive impairment. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Studies assessing the reliability, validity, sensitivity or specificity of assessment tools for patients following hip fracture who were cognitively impaired were included. An assessment of published (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINHAL, AMED, Cochrane library, PEDro) and unpublished/trial registry (OpenGrey, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Current Controlled Trials, the UK National Research Register Archive) databases were undertaken. Methodological quality of the literature was assessed using the QUADAS-2 appraisal tool. Nine studies including 690 participants, with a mean age of 82.1 years were included. The literature demonstrated a high risk of bias for study methodology, but low risk of bias for applicability. Two assessment domains were recognized: pain and delirium. For pain, the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) and DOLOPLUS-2 tools possessed strong inter-rater reliability and internal consistency, with the FACS demonstrating concurrent validity with other pain scales. For delirium, the Delirium Rating Scale-Revisited-98 (DRS-R-98) demonstrated high inter-rater reliability and sensitivity and specificity, with the NEECHAM Confusion Scale possessing high internal consistency. To conclude, there is a paucity of literature assessing the reliability, validity and diagnostic test accuracy of instruments to assess people with cognitive impairment following hip fracture surgery. Based on the current available data, delirium may be best assessed using the NEECHAM Confusion Scale or DRS-R-98. Pain is most accurately evaluated using the FACS.

Clarifying delirium management: practical, evidenced-based, expert recommendations for clinical practice

Delirium is highly prevalent in those with serious or advanced medical illnesses. It is associated with many adverse consequences, including significant patient, family, and health care provider distress. This article suggests a novel approach to delirium assessment and management and provides useful, practical guidance for clinicians based on a complete review of the existing literature and the expert clinical opinion of the authors and their colleagues, derived from over a decade of collective bedside experience. Comprehensive assessment includes careful description of observed symptoms, signs, and behaviors; and an understanding of the patient's situation, including primary diagnosis, associated comorbidities, functional status, and prognosis. The importance of incorporating goals of care for the patient and family is discussed. The concepts of potential reversibility versus irreversible delirium and delirium subtype are proffered, with a description of how diagnostic and management strategies follow from these concepts. Pharmacological interventions that provide rapid, effective, and safe relief are presented. Employing both pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions, including patient and family education, improves symptoms and relieves patient and family distress, whether the delirium is reversible or irreversible, hyperactive or hypoactive. All interventions can be provided in any setting of care, including patients' homes.

Short-term clinical outcomes in delirious older patients: a study at general medical wards in a university hospital in Thailand

AIM

Delirium, a common disorder in hospitalized older patients, frequently results in unfavorable consequences. Previous studies in different settings have provided conflicting results regarding clinical outcomes and mortality. We aimed to study three clinical outcomes--length of stay (LOS), in-hospital mortality and 3-month mortality--among delirious Thai older patients.

METHODS

A prospective observational study was carried out in a university hospital in Thailand. All patients aged older than 70 years admitted to general medical wards were included. Delirium assessments were undertaken within the first 24 h of admission and serially until discharge. Subsequent assessments were carried out at 3 months after discharge. Delirium was diagnosed based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition criteria. Factors associated with mortality were determined by using logistic regression models.

RESULTS

LOS was significantly longer in the delirium group (10 and 8 days, P = 0.001). Furthermore, the delirium group had higher in-hospital and 3-month mortality (P < 0.001). Factors significantly associated with in-hospital mortality in multivariate analysis were age more than 80 years (AOR 2.74, 95% CI 1.05-7.15), malignancy (AOR 3.11, 95% CI 1.16-8.33), severe illness (AOR 3.75, 95% CI 1.38-10.20) and delirium (AOR 7.34, 95% CI 1.51-35.69). Delirium remained a strong predictor for 3-month mortality in multivariate analysis with AOR of 3.33 (95% CI 1.45-7.62) CONCLUSIONS: Delirium was associated with prolonged hospital-stay and was the strongest predictor for mortality among older hospitalized patients. It requires serious attention from physicians, healthcare administrators and policy makers to implement an appropriate management plan for this high-burden issue.

Assessment and management of delirium: a focus on hepatic encephalopathy

This purpose of this article is to promote comprehensive assessment, differential evaluation and provision of care which optimizes benefit while minimizing burden. Delirium is a debilitating neuropsychiatric complication that is highly prevalent in palliative care. It is multifactorial and may be related to infection, disease progression, metabolic state or medication toxicity. There are three proposed sub-types of delirium with the hypoactive/ hypoalert variant being most often underdiagnosed and undertreated. The inadequate management of all types of delirium is associated with increased personal and family distress, lengthier hospital stays, and escalating healthcare costs. This article reviews the assessment, diagnosis and treatment for delirium in general and hepatic encephalopathy in particular. A number of valid and reliable tools are discussed, as they assist in screening, symptom appraisal, diagnosis, and treatment planning. It is recognized that nurses are particularly well positioned to make bedside observations, to document changes over time, and to educate and support patients and their families. Searching for the etiology of delirium, developing individualized plans of care consistent with patient goals, and endorsing the benefit of consultation/referral are discussed as key roles for palliative care providers from all disciplines. New and novel therapies in the management of hepatic encephalopathy are discussed, as they expand treatment options for patients at all points along the trajectory of liver disease.

Delirium: underrecognized and undertreated

Delirium is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome presenting primarily with disturbances of cognition, perception and sensorium, alertness, sleep/wake cycle, and psychomotor behavior in the context of a medical etiology. The presentation can be quite variable among patients and even within a given patient because of its waxing and waning course. This variability and overlap with other psychiatric syndromes has led to substantial underrecognition and undertreatment in clinical settings. Considering the significant morbidity and mortality associated with delirium and its tremendous economic burden, the failure to diagnose, refer, and treat such patients represents a critically important public health care issue. Clinicians should be systematically educated about delirium symptoms. Also, caregivers and family members of medically compromised patients should be educated about recognizing delirium. The use of structured diagnostic instruments and scales to follow the severity of symptoms has been an improvement in the field. However, much more research is needed into the use of such instruments and how they can be applied to clinical situations to improve the detection and treatment of delirium. Similarly, research is warranted that focuses on preventing delirium, potentially by identifying susceptible patients and intervening early. It is particularly challenging to devise cost-effective interventions for preventing and identifying delirium early in its course, given the rapid pace and resource limitations in inpatient and intensive care settings, and current data do not clearly indicate that such systems have proven benefit. Still, the indisputable health and financial costs of delirium indicate that prevention and identification should be a high priority.

Detecting delirium in older adults living at home

The aim of this study was to determine whether in-home care nurses had the necessary knowledge to detect delirium in older adults. To this end, 87 home care nurses from 2 sites in the greater Quebec City region in Canada answered a questionnaire. The results showed nurses had limited level of knowledge about the diagnostic criteria for delirium, the main signs and symptoms of delirium, and the tools for its detection. Moreover, 54.4% of the in-home care nurses were able to recognize delirium, from structured clinical vignettes.