Delirium News and Research

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Delirium is a mental state in which a person is confused, disoriented, and not able to think or remember clearly. The person may also be agitated and have hallucinations, and extreme excitement.

Seniors enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid can experience worse outcomes after ICU hospitalization

Seniors who are enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid are at risk for experiencing greater worsening of functional status following ICU hospitalization, according to research presented at the ATS 2021 International Conference.

20 May 2021

A look at how coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affects Parkinson's

Earlier, herpes simplex virus (HSV), influenza virus A, measles virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and mumps virus have all been associated with after-effects of the virus that includes Parkinson's disease (PD). This list may now include SARS-CoV-2.

14 May 2021

New study finds a stark decrease in the number of abdominal surgeries among older adults

Many have assumed that the rates of major abdominal surgeries in adults over 65 is increasing over time as the U.S. population ages and as new technology renders surgical procedures safer for older adults.

10 May 2021

Algorithms can assess unconsciousness under general anesthesia with accuracy and reliability

Anesthestic drugs act on the brain but most anesthesiologists rely on heart rate, respiratory rate, and movement to infer whether surgery patients remain unconscious to the desired degree.

7 May 2021

$Mild depression may predict postoperative delirium in older adults undergoing hip fracture repair$

Mild depression may predict postoperative delirium in older adults undergoing hip fracture repair

Screening for even mild depressive symptoms before hip fracture repair may be helpful in predicting which patients are at higher risk of developing delirium after emergency surgery, according to results of a new study by researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine.

4 May 2021

Study finds one-third of COVID-19 patients experience neurological symptoms

The research on the short and long-term effects of COVID-19 disease is ongoing. Still, scientists have found severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects the brain causing loss of smell and taste, dizziness, muscle pain, fatigue, and other cognitive impairments. However, it remained unknown why certain people developed neurological symptoms while others did not.

3 May 2021

Study identifies risk factors for delirium among hospitalized patients in Zambia

Severity of illness, history of stroke, and being divorced or widowed were independently predictive of delirium in hospitalized patients in Zambia, according to a study published in PLOS ONE.

22 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-2 does not directly infect the brain but can inflict neurological damage

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, likely does not directly infect the brain but can still inflict significant neurological damage, according to a new study from neuropathologists, neurologists, and neuroradiologists at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

17 Apr 2021

COVID-19 infection linked to neurological and mental health conditions

One in three COVID-19 survivors received a neurological or psychiatric diagnosis within six months of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, an observational study of more than 230,000 patient health records published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal estimates. The study looked at 14 neurological and mental health disorders.

7 Apr 2021

2021 AGS Annual Scientific Meeting goes virtual for the first time

The worlds of work, education, and networking have changed drastically in the past year, and the American Geriatrics Society is evolving with them.

31 Mar 2021

COVID-19 patients with dementia have higher risk for complications, mortality

Early in the pandemic, neurologists expressed concern that COVID-19 patients with dementia may be at higher risk for complications and mortality.

31 Mar 2021

Neuroinvasiveness of SARS-CoV-2 shown by viral RNA and inflammation in the brain

A new study describes the results of a macaque study that showed the development of neurological features of inflammation, following infection by SARS-CoV-2.

25 Feb 2021

Major project reduces inpatient falls, saves £13 million for UK’s National Health Service

A 10-year project to reduce the number of inpatient falls has saved the United Kingdom's National Health Service more than £13 million, thanks to a team of researchers including an academic from Kingston University, London and St George's, University of London.

18 Feb 2021

New study sheds light on potential pathophysiological mechanism underlying delirium

Delirium, a common syndrome among older adults, particularly in those who have recently undergone surgery, critically ill patients in the ICU, and in older patients with multiple health issues, is a form of acute confusion that is characterized by poor attention, disorientation, impaired memory, delusions, and abrupt changes in mood and behavior.

17 Feb 2021

Study explains why antipsychotic medications lead to weight gain, promote metabolic syndrome

Why do patients who receive antipsychotic medications to manage schizophrenia and bipolar disorder quickly gain weight and develop prediabetes and hyperinsulemia?

15 Feb 2021

Duration of delirium in critically ill patients predicts mortality and disability

Delirium, a form of acute brain dysfunction, is widespread in critically ill patients in lower resourced hospitals, and the duration of delirium predicted both mortality and disability at six months after discharge, according to a study published in PLOS ONE.

11 Feb 2021

MSK researchers report an underlying cause of COVID brain

One of the dozens of unusual symptoms that have emerged in COVID-19 patients is a condition that's informally called "COVID brain" or "brain fog."

9 Feb 2021

Study shows safety and effectiveness of two recommended ICU sedatives

Sedative medications used in intensive care are associated with increased delirium, which is in turn connected with higher medical costs and greater risk of death and ICU-related dementia.

2 Feb 2021

Lower diagnostic threshold for fever in older people may help detect COVID-19 cases earlier

Researchers have explored heritable factors, age and body mass on temperature variation between humans. One notable finding is that the current threshold for detecting fever in older adults may be too high, precluding the ability to detect COVID-19 early on