The Impact of Delirium after Radical Prostatectomy on Cognitive Function and Health Perception during the Recovery Period.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the influence of delirium following radical prostatectomy on cognitive function and health perception during the recovery period. METHODS: Data were collected from patients who underwent radical prostatectomy at our institution between May 2020 and May 2022. Postoperative delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU), categorising patients into delirium and non-delirium groups. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) were employed to evaluate patients' mental health pre-and post-surgery. Comparative analyses were conducted between patients with and without delirium in the critical care unit, and correlation analyses were performed. RESULTS: The study revealed a delirium incidence rate of 19.13%. Patients in the delirium group exhibited significantly higher age and ICU length of stay compared to those without delirium (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in MoCA scores one day before surgery and seven days after surgery, as well as BIPQ scores one day before surgery, five days after surgery and seven days after surgery between the delirium and non-delirium groups (p > 0.05); However, the MoCA scores in the delirium group were significantly lower than those of the non-delirium group on the second and fifth days post-surgery. Additionally, the BIPQ scores in the delirium group were significantly higher than those in the non-delirium group two days after surgery (p < 0.001). A moderate negative correlation was observed between MoCA scores and CAM-ICU scores, and a moderate positive correlation was identified between BIPQ scores and CAM-ICU scores (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients experiencing delirium after radical prostatectomy are at a higher risk of cognitive function impairment and disease threat perception. A significant correlation exists between postoperative delirium and cognitive function as well as health perception.

An exploratory study on the heterogeneity of postoperative delirium: Preoperative cognitive screening does not detect hallucinatory delirium risk.

INTRODUCTION: This study compared the clinical characteristics of patients who had hallucinations and those who did not during delirium after elective cancer surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study retrospectively observed 1137 consecutive patients who had preoperative screening by a trained nurse before elective major urologic cancer surgery in our department. We compared the patient characteristics, including mini-cognitive assessment instrument (Mini-Cog) and Geriatric-8 (G8) scores, between those who developed postoperative delirium and those who did not, and also between those who had hallucinations and those who did not during delirium. RESULTS: Out of 1137 patients, 68 developed postoperative delirium, and 12 of them had hallucinations. A hierarchical cluster analysis based on the G8 and Mini-Cog scores divided the patients into two groups: one with high G8 and cognitive function (36 patients) and one with low G8 and cognitive function (32 patients). Hallucinations during delirium were more frequent in the high G8 and cognitive function group (11 out of 36 patients) than in the low G8 and cognitive function group (one out of 32 patients). Patients who had hallucinations during delirium also had higher preoperative Mini-Cog scores (P = 0.002) and G8 scores (P = 0.03) than those who did not, indicating better cognitive function and less frailty. DISCUSSIONS: We identified a patient population that is prone to hallucinations that preoperative screening tools cannot detect. This suggests the heterogeneity of postoperative delirium and the need for further research.

Validation of a viable delirium detection test performed by nurses and physicians during routine patient care.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is a frequent mental impairment in geriatric patients hospitalized in acute care facilities. It carries a high risk of complications and is often the first symptom of acute illness. It is clearly important to identify the development of delirium at an early stage, and several short and effective diagnostic tests have been developed and validated for this purpose. Despite this, patients on hospital wards are seldom monitored for signs of emergent delirium, suggesting that compliance with guidelines would be improved by introducing a simpler and more user-friendly test. METHODS: We recently implemented a simple delirium assessment tool, called RMA that can be introduced into the daily routine of ward staff without significantly adding to their workload. The nurses noted their impression of the patient's cognitive state in the electronic medical record, and during the morning round the ward physician administered a short attention test to any patients suspected of new cognitive impairment. In this study, we compared RMA test against the widely used and well validated 4AT. RESULTS: RMA performed daily by the ward staff was found to be non-inferior to 4AT performed by an experienced rater. Compared to 4AT, R&M had a sensitivity of 93.9% and a specificity of 98.3%. An Altman-Bland plot indicated that both tests can be used interchangeably. CONCLUSIONS: The RMA test is reliable, easy to administer, likely to boost compliance with guidelines, and is expected to raise awareness of delirium among the nurses and physicians directly involved in the diagnostic process.

Delirium in acute stroke is associated with increased cognitive and psychiatric symptoms over time: The Nor-COAST study.

BACKGROUND: Delirium, an acute and fluctuating mental disturbance of attention, cognition, and consciousness, commonly occurs in acute stroke. Research on long-term outcomes of stroke patients experiencing delirium is limited, especially regarding cognitive and psychiatric symptoms. METHODS: As part of the Nor-COAST study, 373 patients were screened for delirium using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) in the acute phase of stroke. Patients were included in the mixed-model linear regression analyses if they had available data from the follow-ups at three, 18 or 36 months, totaling 334 (44.6 % women, mean (SD) age: 72.1 (12.5) years, 17 (5.1 %) diagnosed with delirium). Global cognition was measured using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Psychiatric symptoms were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q). RESULTS: At three months, delirium was associated with a higher NPI-Q score (Mean (SD) 2.9 (3.6) vs 1.4 (2.2)). At 18 and 36 months, delirium was associated with a lower MoCA score (Mean (SD) 19.7 (6.6) vs 24.3 (5.0), and 20.6 (7.6) vs 24.6 (4.8)), higher HADS anxiety symptoms (5.0 (4.3) vs 3.3 (3.3), and 5.9 (4.1) vs 3.4 (3.6)), higher HADS depression symptoms (7.2 (4.7) vs 3.4 (3.3), and 6.6 (5.1) vs 3.7 (3.7)), and higher NPI-Q score (2.4 (4.4) vs 1.7 (2.3), 2.6 (4.5) vs 1.0 (1.9)). Delirium significantly predicted the psychiatric symptoms hallucinations and agitation. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with delirium in the acute phase of stroke may be particularly vulnerable to developing cognitive and psychiatric symptoms in the chronic phase.

Prevalence and risk factors of subsyndromal delirium among postoperative patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and risk factors for subsyndromal delirium in the postoperative patient. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: The Review Manager 5.3 statistics platform and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale were used for quality evaluation. DATA SOURCES: The following databases were searched: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Scopus and EBSCO from January 2000 to December 2021. Additional sources were found by looking at relevant articles' citations. RESULTS: A total of 1744 titles were originally identified, and five studies including 962 patients were included in the systematic review, with a pooled prevalence of postoperative subsyndromal delirium (PSSD) of 30% (95% CI: 0.28-0.32). Significant risk variables for PSSD were older age, low levels of education (≤9 years), cognitive impairment, higher comorbidity score, and the duration of operation. CONCLUSION: PSSD is prevalent and is associated with a variety of risk factors as well as low academic performance. IMPACT: Identification and clinical management of patients with PSSD should be improved. Future research on PSSD risk factors should look at a wider range of intraoperative and postoperative risk factors that can be changed. PATIENT AND PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No Patient or Public Contribution.

Practical Application of a Battery of Brief Tools to Evaluate Geriatric Medical Inpatients for the Three Ds.

OBJECTIVE: The investigators aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of patients with or without delirium and preexisting depression, dementia, both, or neither by using validated tools easily administered in clinical practice. METHODS: In this cross-sectional prospective observational study conducted in Medellín, Colombia, 200 geriatric inpatients were evaluated with the Delirium Diagnostic Tool-Provisional (DDT-Pro), Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly, Hachinski Ischemic Scale, Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, and Charlson Comorbidity Index-short form. Delirium motor subtype, mortality, and length of hospital stay were assessed. RESULTS: The study included 134 patients without delirium (67%), 14 with delirium only (7%), 16 with delirium and dementia (8%), 13 with delirium and depression (7%), and 23 with delirium, dementia, and depression (the three Ds) (12%). Prevalence rates of dementia (59%) and depression (55%) among 66 patients with delirium were higher than prevalence rates among patients without delirium (13% and 28%, respectively), suggesting that both conditions are risk factors. Main medical diagnoses, mortality, and dementia type did not differ among groups. Motor subtypes were similar among delirium groups. Patients in the delirium groups, except those in the delirium and depression group, were older than patients without delirium. Medical burden was highest among the patients with delirium and dementia and those with all three conditions. Delirium and dementia were more severe when comorbid with each other. Depression was most severe among patients with delirium and depression. Patients with all three conditions had a longer length of hospital stay than those without delirium. CONCLUSIONS: Using brief tools to detect dementia and depression in conjunction with the DDT-Pro to assess delirium diagnosis and severity is feasible and enables a more in-depth evaluation of elderly hospitalized patients. Because previous longitudinal research suggests that these comorbid conditions influence prognosis following a delirium episode, better identification of the three Ds offers proactive interventional opportunities. Depression is an underrecognized risk factor for delirium.

Development of Postanesthesia Care Unit Delirium Is Associated with Differences in Aperiodic and Periodic Alpha Parameters of the Electroencephalogram during Emergence from General Anesthesia: Results from a Prospective Observational Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative alpha-band power in frontal electrodes may provide helpful information about the balance of hypnosis and analgesia and has been associated with reduced occurrence of delirium in the postanesthesia care unit. Recent studies suggest that narrow-band power computations from neural power spectra can benefit from separating periodic and aperiodic components of the electroencephalogram. This study investigates whether such techniques are more useful in separating patients with and without delirium in the postanesthesia care unit at the group level as opposed to conventional power spectra. METHODS: Intraoperative electroencephalography recordings of 32 patients who developed perioperative neurocognitive disorders and 137 patients who did not were considered in this post hoc secondary analysis. The power spectra were calculated using conventional methods and the "fitting oscillations and one over f" algorithm was applied to separate aperiodic and periodic components to see whether the electroencephalography signature is different between groups. RESULTS: At the group level, patients who did not develop perioperative neurocognitive disorders presented with significantly higher alpha-band power and a broadband increase in power, allowing a "fair" separation based on conventional power spectra. Within the first third of emergence, the difference in median absolute alpha-band power amounted to 8.53 decibels (area under the receiver operator characteristics curve, 0.74 [0.65; 0.82]), reaching its highest value. In relative terms, the best separation was achieved in the second third of emergence, with a difference in medians of 7.71% (area under the receiver operator characteristics curve, 0.70 [0.61; 0.79]). The area under the receiver operator characteristics curve values were generally lower toward the end of emergence with increasing arousal. CONCLUSIONS: Increased alpha-band power during emergence in patients who did not develop perioperative neurocognitive disorders can be traced back to an increase in oscillatory alpha activity and an overall increase in aperiodic broadband power. Although the differences between patients with and without perioperative neurocognitive disorders can be detected relying on traditional methods, the separation of the signal allows a more detailed analysis. This may enable clinicians to detect patients at risk for developing perioperative neurocognitive disorders in the postanesthesia care unit early in the emergence phase.

Expanded nursing roles to promote person-centred care for people with cognitive impairment in acute care (ENROLE-acute): study protocol for a controlled clinical trial, process and economic evaluation.

BACKGROUND: For people with cognitive impairment, hospitalisation is challenging and associated with adverse events as well as negative outcomes resulting in a prolonged hospital stay. Person-centred care can improve the quality of care and the experience of people with cognitive impairment during hospitalisation. However, current care processes in German hospitals are rarely person-centred. To enable successful implementation of person-centred care on hospital wards, change agents within the interprofessional team are key. The aim of this study is to test the feasibility and initial effects of a newly developed complex person-centred care intervention for people with cognitive impairment provided by expanded practice nurses in acute care. METHODS: We will conduct an exploratory non-randomised controlled clinical trial with accompanying process and cost evaluation with three intervention and three control wards at one university hospital. The person-centred care intervention consists of 14 components reflecting the activities of expanded practice nurses within the interprofessional team on the intervention wards. The intervention will be implemented over a six-month period and compared with optimised care on the control wards. We will include people aged 65 years and older with existing cognitive impairment and/or at risk of delirium. The estimated sample size is 720 participants. The primary outcome is length of hospital stay. Secondary outcomes include prevalence of delirium, prevalence of agitation, sleep quality, and person-centred care. We will collect patient level data at six time points (t1 admission, t2 day 3, t3 day 7, t4 day 14, t5 discharge, t6 30 days after discharge). For secondary outcomes at staff level, we will collect data before and after the intervention period. The process evaluation will examine degree and quality of implementation, mechanisms of change, and the context of the complex intervention. The economic evaluation will focus on costs from the hospital's perspective. DISCUSSION: The ENROLE-acute study will provide insights into the effectiveness and underlying processes of a person-centred care intervention for people with cognitive impairment provided by expanded practice nurses on acute hospitals wards. Results may contribute to intervention refinement and evidence-based decision making. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Current controlled trials: ISRCTN81391868. Date of registration: 12/06/2023. URL: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN81391868.

The phenotype of delirium based on a close reading of diagnostic criteria.

OBJECTIVE: Although delirium is well known to acute care clinicians, the features required for its diagnosis and how to understand and operationalize them remain sticking points in the field. To clarify the delirium phenotype, we present a close reading of past and current sets of delirium diagnostic criteria. METHODS: We first differentiate the delirium syndrome (i.e., features evaluated at bedside) from additional criteria required for diagnosis. Next, we align related features across diagnostic systems and examine them in context to determine intent. Where criteria are ambiguous, we review common delirium instruments to illustrate how they have been interpreted. RESULTS: An acute disturbance in attention is universally attested across diagnostic systems. A second core feature denotes confusion and has been included across systems as disturbance in awareness, impaired consciousness, and thought disorganization. This feature may be better understood as a disturbance in thought clarity and operationalized in terms of neuropsychological domains thereby clearly linking it to global neurocognitive disturbance. Altered level of activity describes a third core feature, including motor and sleep/wake cycle disturbances. Excluding stupor (wherein mental content cannot be assessed due to reduced arousal) from delirium, as in DSM-5-TR, is appropriate for a psychiatric diagnosis, but the brain injury exclusion in ICD-11 is unjustified. CONCLUSIONS: The delirium phenotype involves a disturbance in attention, qualitative thought clarity, and quantitative activity level, including in relation to expected sleep/wake cycles. Future diagnostic systems should include a severity threshold and specify that delirium diagnosis refers to a 24-h period.

Delirium and neuropsychological recovery among emergency general surgery survivors (DANE): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial and collaborative care intervention.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome which consists of acute and varying changes in cognition and consciousness. Patients who develop delirium are at increased risk for a constellation of physical, cognitive, and psychological disabilities long after the delirium has ended. Collaborative care models integrating primary and specialty care in order to address patients with complex biopsychosocial needs have been demonstrated to improve outcomes in patients with chronic diseases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ability of a collaborative care model on the neuropsychologic recovery of delirium survivors following emergency surgery. METHODS: This protocol describes a multicenter (eight hospitals in three states) randomized controlled trial in which 528 patients who develop delirium following emergency surgery will be randomized to either a collaborative care model or usual care. The efficacy of the collaborative care model on cognitive, physical, and psychological recovery in these delirium survivors will then be evaluated over 18 months. DISCUSSION: This will be among the first randomized clinical trials in postoperative delirium survivors evaluating an intervention designed to mitigate the downstream effects of delirium and improve the neuropsychologic recovery after surgery. We hope that the results of this study will add to and inform strategies to improve postoperative recovery in this patient group. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05373017. Registered on May 12, 2022.

Anesthesia and surgery induce changes in endogenous brain protective protein (RNF146) and delirium-like behavior in aged rats.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication after anesthesia and surgery, especially in the elderly. RNF146 has neuroprotective effects in cerebral ischemia, hypoxia, and chronic neurological diseases. However, whether RNF146 expression is related to the occurrence and development of POD remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to determine whether RNF146 is involved in the occurrence of POD. METHODS: (Sprague-Dawley) male rats (18 months old) were splenectomized under sevoflurane anesthesia. The cognitive function of rats at 1, 3, and 7 d after anesthesia and surgery was evaluated. Changes in the expression of neuroinflammatory cytokines, IL-6 and IL-10, and RNF146 were measured in the hippocampus in both control group (con) and anesthesia (AS) group. We examined cognitive outcomes and expression of inflammatory factors and RNF146 in con and AS mice using cluster analysis. RESULTS: The cognitive ability and mobility of rats after anesthesia and surgery at day 1, 3, and 7 decreased, especially at day 3. Similarly, the expression of neuroinflammatory factors and RNF146 increased after anesthesia and surgery at day 1, 3, and 7, and the increase was highest at day 3. The clustering and correlation analysis of RNF146 expression in the hippocampi of elderly rats revealed a correlation between POD and neuroinflammation resulting from anesthesia and surgery. CONCLUSION: Anesthesia and surgery can lead to POD and neuroinflammation. The expression of RNF146 correlates with delirium and neuroinflammation caused by anesthesia and surgery.

Role of Blood-Brain Barrier Dysfunction in Delirium following Non-cardiac Surgery in Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: Although animal models suggest a role for blood-brain barrier dysfunction in postoperative delirium-like behavior, its role in postoperative delirium and postoperative recovery in humans is unclear. Thus, we evaluated the role of blood-brain barrier dysfunction in postoperative delirium and hospital length of stay among older surgery patients. METHODS: Cognitive testing, delirium assessment, and cerebrospinal fluid and blood sampling were prospectively performed before and after non-cardiac, non-neurologic surgery. Blood-brain barrier dysfunction was assessed using the cerebrospinal fluid-to-plasma albumin ratio (CPAR). RESULTS: Of 207 patients (median age = 68 years, 45% female) with complete CPAR and delirium data, 26 (12.6%) developed postoperative delirium. Overall, CPAR increased from before to 24 hours after surgery (median change = 0.28, interquartile range [IQR] = -0.48 to 1.24, Wilcoxon p = 0.001). Preoperative to 24 hours postoperative change in CPAR was greater among patients who developed delirium versus those who did not (median [IQR] = 1.31 [0.004 to 2.34] vs 0.19 [-0.55 to 1.08], p = 0.003). In a multivariable model adjusting for age, baseline cognition, and surgery type, preoperative to 24 hours postoperative change in CPAR was independently associated with delirium occurrence (per CPAR increase of 1, odds ratio = 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.63, p = 0.026) and increased hospital length of stay (incidence rate ratio = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.09-1.22, p < 0.001). INTERPRETATION: Postoperative increases in blood-brain barrier permeability are independently associated with increased delirium rates and postoperative hospital length of stay. Although these findings do not establish causality, studies are warranted to determine whether interventions to reduce postoperative blood-brain barrier dysfunction would reduce postoperative delirium rates and hospital length of stay. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:1024-1035.

Struggling to return to everyday life-The experiences of quality of life 1 year after delirium in the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Many critically ill patients report a change in their health-related quality of life after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge. Patients who experience delirium during their ICU stay are perceived as a fragile group of ICU survivors, and the 'quality of life' phenomenon needs to be studied among these patients. AIM: To explore everyday life experiences of critically ill patients with delirium during the ICU stay, from ICU discharge until 1-year follow-up, focusing on their health-related quality of life and cognitive function. STUDY DESIGN: We used a descriptive qualitative research design and interviewed patients 1 year after ICU admission. The participants were recruited from a pre-planned one-year follow-up study of 'Agents Intervening against Delirium for patients in the Intensive Care Unit trial'. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis Method and content analysis. RESULTS: Nine women and eight men participated and reported a struggle when returning to everyday life or adapting to a new normality from hospital discharge to 1 year later. None of the participants had been aware of the challenges they would face after hospital discharge. They described a need for more information about these challenges to themselves and about primary care to better understand their situation and the struggles they experience during recovery. One overall theme emerged from the analysis 'From enduring to adapting' with three subthemes: 'Struggling to regain a functional life', 'Struggling to regain normal cognition' and 'Distressing manifestations from the ICU'. CONCLUSIONS: To improve recovery and the quality of rehabilitation for critically ill patients suffering from delirium, it is essential to understand the phenomenon of ICU survivorship and what this fragile group of patients is going through. It is necessary to bridge the gap between secondary and primary care so patients can receive optimal training and support when needed. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Bridging the gap between primary and secondary healthcare services is urgently needed to improve rehabilitation for ICU survivors after critical illness.

Individualized Summary Assessment of Detailed Neuropsychological Testing for the Etiological Diagnosis of Newly Detected Cognitive Impairment in Hospitalized Geriatric Patients.

BACKGROUND: Neuropsychological testing (NPT) of geriatric inpatients can be affected by the acute illness and/or the hospitalization. OBJECTIVE: To test individualized interpretation of detailed NPT for the differentiation between primary 'neurodegenerative' etiologies (predominantly Alzheimer's disease) and 'other' etiologies (including cerebrovascular disease) of newly detected cognitive impairment in geriatric inpatients without and with delirium in remission. METHODS: 96 geriatric inpatients (81.9±5.6 years, 64.6% females) with clinically uncertain cognitive impairment were included. 31.3% had delirium in remission that was not considered the primary cause of the cognitive impairment. Categorization of the most likely etiology as 'neurodegenerative' or 'other' was established retrospectively by a study neuropsychologist based on individualized summary assessment of detailed NPT compiled in a standardized vignette. The etiological diagnosis based on FDG-PET served as gold standard (54.2% 'neurodegenerative', 45.8% 'other'). RESULTS: Individualized summary assessment by the study neuropsychologist was correct in 80 patients (83.3%, 8 false positive, 8 false negative). The impact of delirium in remission was not significant (p = 0.237). Individualized summary assessment by an independent neuropsychologist resulted in more false positive cases (n = 22) at the same rate of false negative cases (n = 8). Automatic categorization with a decision tree model based on the most discriminative NPT scores was correct in 68 patients (70.8%, 14 false positive, 14 false negative). CONCLUSION: Individualized summary assessment of detailed NPT in the context of relevant clinical information might be useful for the etiological diagnosis of newly detected cognitive impairment in hospitalized geriatric patients, also in patients with delirium in remission, but requires task-specific expertise.

Electroencephalographic Biomarkers, Cerebral Oximetry, and Postoperative Cognitive Function in Adult Noncardiac Surgical Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative neurocognitive disorders are a major public health issue, although there are no validated neurophysiologic biomarkers that predict cognitive function after surgery. This study tested the hypothesis that preoperative posterior electroencephalographic alpha power, alpha frontal-parietal connectivity, and cerebral oximetry would each correlate with postoperative neurocognitive function. METHODS: This was a single-center, prospective, observational study of adult (older than 18 yr) male and female noncardiac surgery patients. Whole-scalp, 16-channel electroencephalography and cerebral oximetry were recorded in the preoperative, intraoperative, and immediate postoperative settings. The primary outcome was the mean postoperative T-score of three National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition tests-Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention, List Sorting Working Memory, and Pattern Comparison Processing Speed. These tests were obtained at preoperative baseline and on the first two postoperative mornings. The lowest average score from the first two postoperative days was used for the primary analysis. Delirium was a secondary outcome (via 3-min Confusion Assessment Method) measured in the postanesthesia care unit and twice daily for the first 3 postoperative days. Last, patient-reported outcomes related to cognition and overall well-being were collected 3 months postdischarge. RESULTS: Sixty-four participants were recruited with a median (interquartile range) age of 59 (48 to 66) yr. After adjustment for baseline cognitive function scores, no significant partial correlation (ρ) was detected between postoperative cognition scores and preoperative relative posterior alpha power (%; ρ = -0.03, P = 0.854), alpha frontal-parietal connectivity (via weight phase lag index; ρ = -0.10, P = 0.570, respectively), or preoperative cerebral oximetry (%; ρ = 0.21, P = 0.246). Only intraoperative frontal-parietal theta connectivity was associated with postoperative delirium (F[1,6,291] = 4.53, P = 0.034). No electroencephalographic or oximetry biomarkers were associated with cognitive or functional outcomes 3 months postdischarge. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative posterior alpha power, frontal-parietal connectivity, and cerebral oximetry were not associated with cognitive function after noncardiac surgery.

The Case Against "Excited Delirium".

ABSTRACT: Citizens' deaths in police custody are sometimes attributed to "excited delirium syndrome" (ExDS). This terminology is rejected by the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association. ExDS has no demonstrable pathology but has been proposed as predisposing to sudden death, thus exonerating police. Ketamine use during arrests complicates manner of death. ExDS deaths trigger lawsuits claiming police misconduct and excessive force. Defendant officers and municipalities have used ExDS to distance themselves from liability, using expert testimony from nonpsychiatrists. This argument is expressed despite lack of autopsy findings, the false idea that mental illness itself can lead to sudden death, and the absence of consistent diagnostic criteria. This article traces the history of ExDS and reviews the arguments for and against its use in psychiatry and law enforcement. The authors conclude that the label is medically unreliable, has eroded confidence in police-citizen interactions, and obscures dynamics of deaths in custody.

Delirium and Behavioral Symptoms in Persons With Dementia at Hospital Admission: Mediating Factors.

BACKGROUND: Hospitalized persons with dementia are at risk of delirium with behavioral symptoms, predisposing them to a higher rate of complications and caregiver distress. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between delirium severity in patients with dementia upon admission to the hospital and the manifestation of behavioral symptoms, and to evaluate the mediating effects of cognitive and physical function, pain, medications, and restraints. METHODS: This descriptive study used baseline data from 455 older adults with dementia enrolled in a cluster randomized clinical trial that tested the efficacy of family centered function-focused care. Mediation analyses were conducted to determine the indirect effect of cognitive and physical function, pain, medications (antipsychotics, anxiolytics, sedative/hypnotics, narcotics, and number of medications), and restraints on behavioral symptoms, controlling for age, sex, race, and educational level. RESULTS: The majority of the 455 participants were female (59.1%), had an average age of 81.5 (SD=8.4), were either white (63.7%) or black (36.3%), and demonstrated one or more behavioral symptoms (93%) and delirium (60%). Hypotheses were partially supported in that physical function, cognitive function, and antipsychotic medication partially mediated the relationship between delirium severity and behavioral symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study provides preliminary evidence identifying antipsychotic use, low physical function, and significant cognitive impairment as specific targets for clinical intervention and quality improvement in patients with delirium superimposed on dementia at hospital admission.

A Clinical Trial of a Novel Electroencephalography Device as a Predictor of Postoperative Delirium.

Postoperative delirium is a public health and research priority. The International Perioperative Neurotoxicity Working Group recommends baseline cognitive function be assessed for older patients prior to surgery and anesthesia. Perioperative cognitive screening tools trialed in anesthesia are not routinely incorporated into clinical practice related to validity, reliability, or practicality concerns. The ideal perioperative cognitive screening tool would be rapid; easily administrable; valid; reliable; automatically scored; void of language, cultural, and education bias; and cost-efficient. No such tool currently exists. We explored baseline and postoperative neurocognitive characteristics that may help to establish predictive and trend metrics for perioperative neurocognitive assessment in older surgical patients using a novel, Food and Drug Administration-cleared point-of-care electroencephalography device (WAViMed™, Boulder, CO). To our knowledge, our study is the first to assess the device as a perioperative neurocognitive assessment tool. Although an association between P300 auditory-evoked potentials and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores was not identified, further investigation is warranted given the magnitude of impact that such a device might have on patient outcomes and healthcare costs.

Diagnosis of delirium: a practical approach.

Delirium is an acute disorder of fluctuating attention and awareness with cardinal features that allow it to be positively distinguished from other causes of an acute confusional state. These features include fluctuations, prominent inattentiveness with other cognitive deficits, a change in awareness and visual hallucinations. We describe a framework for diagnosing delirium, noting the need to consider certain caveats and differential diagnoses. Delirium is a clinical diagnosis where a thorough history and clinical examination are much more helpful diagnostically than any single test or combination of tests.