The occurrence and duration of symptoms in elderly patients with delirium.
BACKGROUND
This study attempts to estimate the incidence, prevalence, and average duration of delirium in elderly patients; to assess the sensitivity of DSM-III and DSM-III-R in the diagnosis of delirium; and to compare the estimates of the duration of delirium using DSM-III and DSM-III-R criteria.


METHODS
A 12-month prospective descriptive study of 168 consecutively admitted patients and 5 additional patients with delirium was conducted in the Geriatric Assessment Unit of a teaching hospital. The duration in days of DSM-III and DSM-III-R symptoms for each delirious patient was assessed by two clinicians. The Barthel Index, Mini-Mental State Examination, and Trezpacz Delirium Symptom Rating Scale scores were also recorded.


RESULTS
The prevalence of delirium was 18% and the incidence was 7%. Compared to clinical judgment DSM-III-R showed 100% sensitivity. The mean duration of delirium was 8 +/- 9 days (DSM-III-R); the DSM estimate was 7 +/- 7 days. Complete symptom recovery was seen in only 52% of surviving patients. Prolonged memory impairment was common.


CONCLUSIONS
As operationalized in this study, DSM-III-R delirium criteria were more sensitive than DSM-III. Persistent symptoms are common in elderly patients with delirium.
Rockwood
K
K
Division of Geriatric Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia.
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003693:Delirium / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009674:Nova Scotia; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies