Delirium: guidelines for general hospitals.
OBJECTIVE
Delirium is highly prevalent in general hospitals but remains underrecognized and undertreated despite its association with increased morbidity, mortality, and health services utilization. To enhance its management, we developed guidelines covering all aspects, from risk factor identification to preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic interventions in adult patients.


METHODS
Guidelines, systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCT), and cohort studies were systematically searched and evaluated. Based on a synthesis of retrieved high-quality documents, recommendation items were submitted to a multidisciplinary expert panel. Experts scored the appropriateness of recommendation items, using an evidence-based, explicit, multidisciplinary panel approach. Each recommendation was graded according to this process' results.


RESULTS
Rated recommendations were mostly supported by a low level of evidence (1.3% RCT and systematic reviews, 14.3% nonrandomized trials vs. 84.4% observational studies or expert opinions). Nevertheless, 71.1% of recommendations were considered appropriate by the experts. Prevention of delirium and its nonpharmacological management should be fostered. Haloperidol remains the first-choice drug, whereas the role of atypical antipsychotics is still uncertain.


CONCLUSIONS
While many topics addressed in these guidelines have not yet been adequately studied, an explicit panel and evidence-based approach allowed the proposal of comprehensive recommendations for the prevention and management of delirium in general hospitals.
Michaud
Laurent
L
Clinical Epidemiology Center, Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Büla
Christophe
C
Berney
Alexandre
A
Camus
Vincent
V
Voellinger
Rachel
R
Stiefel
Friedrich
F
Burnand
Bernard
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003693:Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006760:Hospitalization; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013557:Switzerland