Delirium in Hospitalized Elderly Patients and Post-Discharge Mortality

• Published in: Clinics (São Paulo, Brazil) Vol. 65; no. 3; pp. 251 - 255
• Main Authors: Lima, Danielle Pessoa, Ochiai, Marcelo Eidi, Lima, Alexandre Bastos, Curiati, Jose A.E., Farfel, Jose M., Filho, Wilson Jacob
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Elsevier España, S.L.U 01-03-2010; Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo; Faculdade de Medicina / USP; Elsevier España
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Clinical Science; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology); Delirium; Delirium - blood; Delirium - etiology; Delirium - mortality; Elderly; Epidemiologic Methods; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Middle Aged; Mobility Limitation; Patient Discharge; Post discharge; Post-discharge mortality; Serum Albumin - analysis; Survival; Delirium; Post-discharge mortality; Elderly; Survival; Post discharge
• ISSN: 1807-5932; 1980-5322; 1980-5322
• DOI: 10.1590/S1807-59322010000300003

To determine the impact of delirium on post-discharge mortality in hospitalized older patients.
Delirium is frequent in hospitalized older patients and correlates with high hospital mortality. There are only a few studies about its impact on post-discharge mortality.
This is a prospective study of patients over 60 years old who were hospitalized in the Geriatric Unit at Hospital das Clínicas of São Paulo between May 2006 and March 2007. Upon admission, demographics, comorbidities, number of drugs taken, and serum albumin concentration were evaluated for each patient. Delirium was diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria. Patients were divided into group A (with delirium) and group B (without delirium). One year after discharge, the patients or their caregivers were contacted to assess days of survival.
The sample included 199 patients, 66 (33%) of whom developed delirium (Group A). After one year, 33 (50%) group A patients had died, and 45 (33.8%) group B patients had died (p = 0.03). There was a significant statistical difference in average age (p = 0.001) and immobility (p <0.001) between groups A and B. There were no statistically significant differences between groups A and B in number of drugs taken greater than four (p = 0.62), sex (p = 0.54) and number of diagnoses greater than four (p = 0.21). According to a multivariate analysis, delirium was not an independent predictor of post-discharge mortality. The predictors of post-discharge mortality were age ≥ 80 years (p = 0.029), albumin concentration < 3.5 g/dl (p = 0.001) and immobility (p = 0.007).
Delirium is associated with higher post-discharge mortality as a dependent predictor.