Altered EEG, disrupted hippocampal long-term potentiation and neurobehavioral deficits implicate a delirium-like state in a mouse model of sepsis.

Sepsis and systemic inflammation are often accompanied by severe encephalopathy, sleep disruption and delirium that strongly correlate with poor clinical outcomes including long-term cognitive deficits. The cardinal manifestations of delirium are fluctuating altered mental status and inattention, identified in critically ill patients by interactive bedside assessment. The lack of analogous assessments in mouse models or clear biomarkers is a challenge to preclinical studies of delirium. In this study, we utilized concurrent measures of telemetric EEG recordings and neurobehavioral tasks in mice to characterize inattention and persistent cognitive deficits following polymicrobial sepsis. During the 24-hour critical illness period for the mice, slow-wave EEG dominance, sleep disruption, and hypersensitivity to auditory stimuli in neurobehavioral tasks resembled clinical observations in delirious patients in which alterations in similar outcome measurements, although measured differently in mice and humans, are reported. Mice were tested for nest building ability 7 days after sepsis induction, when sickness behaviors and spontaneous activity had returned to baseline. Animals that showed persistent deficits determined by poor nest building at 7 days also exhibited molecular changes in hippocampal long-term potentiation compared to mice that returned to baseline cognitive performance. Together, these behavioral and electrophysiological biomarkers offer a robust mouse model with which to further probe molecular pathways underlying brain and behavioral changes during and after acute illness such as sepsis.

Effectiveness of an intensive care unit family education intervention on delirium knowledge: a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental study.

PURPOSE: To create, validate, and refine an intensive care unit (ICU) delirium education intervention to prepare family members to partner with the ICU care team to detect delirium symptoms and prevent and manage delirium using nonpharmacological strategies. METHODS: In this pre-test post-test quasi-experimental study, consecutive eligible family members of critically ill patients admitted to an ICU completed an ICU Family Education Delirium intervention in two parts: 1) six-minute video on ICU delirium (risk factors, prevention/management, symptoms, communication with the ICU care team), and 2) two case vignettes to practice detecting delirium using family-administered delirium detection questionnaires (Family Confusion Assessment Method [FAM-CAM] and Sour Seven). Family members' delirium knowledge was measured before, immediately after, and two weeks following the intervention using the Caregiver ICU Delirium Knowledge Questionnaire (CIDKQ). RESULTS: Of 99 family members recruited over eight months, 81 (82%) completed the intervention and 63 (63/81, 78%) completed all follow-up questionnaires. Family members' delirium knowledge improved significantly following the intervention (pre-CIDKQ, 14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 13 to 15; post-CIDKQ, 17; 95% CI, 16 to 17; P < 0.001) and was retained two weeks after the intervention (CIDKQ 16; 95% CI, 16 to 17; P < 0.001). This included increased knowledge regarding delirium risk factors (e.g., medication, mechanical ventilation), prevention/management (e.g., orientation, day/night routine), and symptoms of delirium. More family members correctly detected delirium symptoms in case vignettes using the Sour Seven (92%) compared with the FAM-CAM (78%). CONCLUSIONS: A video-based ICU delirium education intervention is effective in educating family members about prevention, detection, and management of delirium.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Notre objectif était de créer, valider et améliorer une intervention de formation sur le delirium à l'unité de soins intensifs (USI) afin de préparer les membres de la famille à coopérer avec l'équipe de soins de l'USI pour dépister les symptômes de delirium ainsi que prévenir et prendre en charge le delirium à l'aide de stratégies non pharmacologiques. MéTHODE: Dans cette étude quasi expérimentale avant après, les membres éligibles consécutifs de familles de patients en état critique admis dans une USI ont pris part à une formation familiale sur le delirium à deux volets : 1) le visionnement d'une vidéo de six minutes sur le delirium à l'USI (facteurs de risque, prévention/prise en charge, symptômes, communication avec l'équipe de soins de l'USI), et 2) deux vignettes pour pratiquer le dépistage du delirium à l'aide de questionnaires de dépistage du delirium administrés par la famille (Méthode d'évaluation de la confusion par la famille [FAM-CAM] et Questionnaire de dépistage du delirium 'Sour Seven'). Les connaissances sur le delirium des membres de la famille étaient mesurées avant, immédiatement après et deux semaines après l'intervention à l'aide d'un Questionnaire sur les connaissances des aidants concernant le délirium à l'USI (CIDKQ). RéSULTATS: Parmi les 99 membres de famille recrutés au cours d'une période de huit mois, 81 (82 %) ont complété l'intervention et 63 (63/81, 78 %) ont complété tous les questionnaires de suivi. Les connaissances des membres de la famille sur le delirium se sont significativement améliorées après l'intervention (pré-questionnaire, 14; intervalle de confiance [IC] 95 %, 13 à 15; post-questionnaire, 17; IC 95 %, 16 à 17; P < 0,001) et étaient retenues deux semaines après l'intervention (questionnaire 16; IC 95 %, 16 à 17; P < 0,001). Cette amélioration était notable dans les catégories de connaissances en matière de facteurs de risque de delirium (par ex., la médication, la ventilation mécanique), de prévention et de prise en charge (par ex., l'orientation, la routine jour/nuit), et des symptômes de delirium. Un nombre plus élevé de membres des familles est parvenu à dépister correctement les symptômes de delirium dans les vignettes à l'aide du questionnaire Sour Seven (92 %) comparativement au FAM-CAM (78 %). CONCLUSION: Le visionnement d'une vidéo de formation sur le delirium à l'USI est efficace pour former les membres des familles quant à la prévention, le dépistage et la prise en charge du delirium.

Cryptococcal Meningitis Causing Refractory Hemichorea-Hemiballismus Treated With Pallidotomy.

We report a case of a 31-year-old immunocompetent male who presented with altered mental status and agitation requiring intubation. As sedation was weaned, he demonstrated choreiform movements with associated hemiballismus of the right upper and lower extremities, and he was ultimately diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis. The patient's chorea did not terminate after the completion of induction antifungal therapy and all pharmacologic options for the management of chorea were ineffective. He underwent a successful unilateral pallidotomy using standard stereotactic methodology targeting the posterior-ventral pallidum, and his choreiform movements dramatically improved post-operatively within 48 hours.

Delirium-related distress in the ICU: A qualitative meta-synthesis of patient and family perspectives and experiences.

BACKGROUND: Better understanding of patient and family member experiences of delirium and related distress during critical care is required to inform the development of targeted nonpharmacologic interventions. OBJECTIVE: To examine and synthesize qualitative data on patient and family member delirium experiences and relieving factors in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). DESIGN: We conducted a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis. Eligible studies contained adult patient or family quotes about delirium during critical care, published in English in a peer-reviewed journal since 1980. Data sources included PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Cochrane and Clinicaltrials.gov. METHODS: Systematic searches yielded 3238 identified articles, of which 14 reporting 13 studies were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Qualitative meta-synthesis was performed through line-by-line coding of relevant quotes, organization of codes into descriptive themes, and development of analytical themes. Five patients/family members with experience of ICU delirium contributed to the thematic analysis. RESULTS: Qualitative meta-synthesis resulted in four major themes and two sub-themes. Key new patient and family-centric insights regarding delirium-related distress in the ICU included articulation of the distinct emotions experienced during and after delirium (for patients, predominantly fear, anger and shame); its 'whole-person' nature; and the value that patients and family members placed on clinicians' compassion, communication, and connectedness. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct difficult emotions and other forms of distress are experienced by patients and families during ICU delirium, during which patients and families highly value human kindness and empathy. Future studies should further explore and address the many facets of delirium-related distress during critical care using these insights and include patient-reported measures of the predominant difficult emotions.