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 Edlund, A. Articles by Gustafson, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Edlund, A. Articles by Gustafson, Y. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Dementia Seniors' Health Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Symptom Profile of Delirium in Older People With and Without Dementia

Maria Lundström, RN, PhD

Olov Sandberg, MD, PhD

Gösta Bucht, MD, PhD

Benny Brännström, RNT, PhD

Yngve Gustafson, MD, PhD

Geriatric Medicine, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, UmeÅ University, SE-901 87 UmeÅ, Sweden, yngve.gustafson{at}germed.umu.se

Clinical profiles of delirium in 717 older people with and without dementia age 75 years and older in 4 different types of care were studied. Delirium and dementia were diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria. Delirious demented participants (n = 135) had more often had previous delirium episodes and were more often being treated with analgesics compared to delirious participants without dementia (n = 180). The clinical profile of delirium in the participants with dementia was more frequently characterized by aggressivity, latency in reaction to verbal stimuli, restlessness and agitation, delusions, anxiousness, hallucinations, and a poorer orientation and recognition. Delirium among demented participants more often had a fluctuating course during the day and was more common in the evening and at night. In conclusion, clinical profiles of delirium in participants with and without dementia are different, which might indicate a different etiology or pathophysiology, or both, and a need for different treatment strategies. (J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2007;20:166—171)

Key Words: delirium • dementia • clinical profile • old age

Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, Vol. 20, No. 3, 166-171 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0891988707303338


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

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. H. Kyomen and T. H. Whitfield Psychosis in the Elderly Am J Psychiatry, February 1, 2009; 166(2): 146 - 150. [Full Text] [PDF]