This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kales, H. C. Articles by Blow, F. C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kales, H. C. Articles by Blow, F. C. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Recorded Delirium in a National Sample of Elderly Inpatients: Potential Implications for Recognition

Serious Mental Illness Research and Evaluation Center (SMITREC), Health Services Research and Development, Ann Arbor VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Psychiatry Service, Ann Arbor VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Barbara A. Kamholz, MD

Psychiatry Service, Ann Arbor VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Stephanie G. Visnic, BA

Serious Mental Illness Research and Evaluation Center (SMITREC), Health Services Research and Development, Ann Arbor VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Frederic C. Blow, PhD

Serious Mental Illness Research and Evaluation Center (SMITREC), Health Services Research and Development, Ann Arbor VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

This retrospective study examined delirium and related confusional diagnoses recorded in patients older than age 60 discharged from Veterans Affairs (VA) acute inpatient units nationally in 1996 (n = 267,947). Only 4% of patients had delirium or related confusional diagnoses recorded. Patients with recorded delirium had significantly higher mortality than did those without recorded delirium or those with other confusional diagnoses ("organic psychoses"); the most common delirium types were dementia with delirium and alcohol intoxication/withdrawal delirium. Organic psychoses patients had the longest lengths of stay and significantly more admissions to nonmedical/surgical units and discharges to nursing homes; almost 20% were African American. The recorded rate of delirium in the VA health system likely underestimates true prevalence and possibly reflects nonrecognition of delirium in many older veterans. Certain motoric and etiologic types of delirium may be more commonly diagnosed and recorded. Future research should prospectively examine recognition of motoric and etiologic delirium subtypes and racial differences in delirium diagnoses. (J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2003; 16:32-38)

Key Words: delirium • elderly • veterans

Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, Vol. 16, No. 1, 32-38 (2003)
DOI: 10.1177/0891988702250535


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. C. Kales, M. Valenstein, H. M. Kim, J. F. McCarthy, D. Ganoczy, F. Cunningham, and F. C. Blow Mortality Risk in Patients With Dementia Treated With Antipsychotics Versus Other Psychiatric Medications Am J Psychiatry, October 1, 2007; 164(10): 1568 - 1576. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Shah, F. Jan, and A. Sule Approach is now screening, prevention, and recognition BMJ, May 12, 2007; 334(7601): 968 - 968. [Full Text] [PDF]