title: Risk factors and clinical aspects of delirium in elderly hospitalized patients in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recognition of the risk factors of delirium has been clearly advantageous in preventing and managing it as it occurs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main aims of this study were to investigate the occurrence of delirium and identify the associated risk factors in a sample of hospitalized elderly in Southwestern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional, hospital-based study was performed on a total of 200 elderly patients, admitted to a general hospital for various health reasons. Data were gathered over a 3-month period of time in 2010. Abbreviated Mental Test score (AMTs) used for delirium detection in post-admission days 1, 3, and 5, followed by clinical diagnostic confirmation according to the DSM-IV-TR criteria for delirium. Information regarding physical, cognitive, emotional, and functional states of the participants was collected, too.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Delirium developed in 22 % of the participants. The demographic characteristics of the patients with delirium indicated that they were typically single, older men who lived alone and had a lower level of education and poorer functional status. Among other variables, the following were significantly associated with delirium: hemoglobin ≤12 (P < 0.001); Blood urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio ≥1/20 (P < 0.005); and positive C-reactive protein (P = 0.022); depressive symptoms (P < 0.001), and previous cognitive decline (P < 0.001). Patients with more than six different categories of medications were at high risk for delirium as well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Delirium is a serious and common problem in people over 60 years of age who are admitted to hospitals. Understanding risk factors and clinical aspects of delirium in elderly hospitalized patients will provide us with a better delirium management strategy.
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Huddinge Hospital, R94, Karolinska Institute, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mahshid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foroughan
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ahmad.delbari@ki.se.|Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Huddinge Hospital, R94, Karolinska Institute, 141 86, Stockholm, Sweden. ahmad.delbari@ki.se.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delbari
authors.affiliation: Ahvaz Petroleum Hospital, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: Said Ebn
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Said
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: AkbariKamrani
authors.affiliation: Iranian Research Center on Aging, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rashedi
authors.affiliation: State University of New York College at Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Taher
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zandi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003693:Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Clinical aspects; Delirium; Elderly hospitalized patients; Risk factors