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Revista Colombiana de Psiquiatría
Print version ISSN 0034-7450
Abstract
CONSTAIN, Gustavo A. et al. Persistent Delirium in Elderly patients Three Months After Hospital Discharge from a University Clinic. rev.colomb.psiquiatr. [online]. 2018, vol.47, n.1, pp.37-45. ISSN 0034-7450. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcp.2016.10.006.
Objective:
The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of patients with persistent delirium (PD) at three months after hospital discharge.
Methodology:
Longitudinal descriptive study to assess the prevalence and characteristics of in-patients aged 65 years and older in the Clinica Universitaria Bolivariana who met DSM-5 criteria for delirium at admission, at discharge, and at a 3-month follow up assessment. Socio-demographic features were determined, and CGI-S and DRS-R98 scales used.
Results:
A total of 30 patients were evaluated between April and October 2013, but 6 did not fulfil the inclusion criteria. The study included 24 patients, with 9 (37.5%) dying during hospitalisation. Of the 15 surviving patients, five (20.8% of the total sample) had their delirium resolved at discharge, and ten (41.6% of the sample) continued with symptoms. These established the PD group, of whom five of them (20.8%) had full PD, and the other five (20.8%) sub-syndromal PD (SSPD). At the final assessment, only two patients (8.3%) continued with full PD, and another two (8.3%) with SSPD. Among the PD group, 30% had a full delirium at admission (prevalence), and 70% developed full delirium during hospitalization (incidence).
Conclusions:
A significant number of patients did not recover from delirium at leaving hospital, and remained symptomatic three months after discharge. The study findings suggest a course of gradual improvement of delirium, with a persistence of symptoms over time in 40% of the patients, which would have implications for the clinical practice.
Keywords : Delirium; Persistent delirium; Neurocognitive disorder; Prevalence.