• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.214-225
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• 2021

Purpose: This study reviewed screening and assessment tools that are used to measure delirium in patients with cancer in hospice and palliative care settings and examined their psychometric properties. Methods: Four databases were searched for studies using related search terms (delirium, tools, palliative care, cancer, and others). The inclusion criteria were a) studies that included screening/assessment tools for measuring delirium in cancer patients receiving hospice/palliative care, and b) studies published in English or Korean. The exclusion criteria were a) studies that were conducted in an intensive care setting, and b) case studies, qualitative studies, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses. Results: Out of the 81 studies identified, only 10 examined the psychometric properties of tools for measuring delirium, and 8 tools were ultimately identified. The psychometric properties of the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS) were the most frequently examined (n=5), and the MDAS showed good reliability, concurrent validity, and diagnostic accuracy. The Delirium Rating Scale had good reliability and diagnostic accuracy. The Delirium Rating Scale-Revised 98 also showed good reliability and structural validity, but its diagnostic performance was not examined in hospice/palliative care settings. The Nursing Delirium Screening Scale showed relatively low diagnostic accuracy. Conclusion: The MDAS showed evidence of being a valid assessment tool for assessing delirium in patients with cancer in palliative care. Few studies examined the diagnostic performance of delirium tools. Therefore, further studies are needed to examine the diagnostic performance of screening/assessment tools for the optimal detection of delirium in patients with cancer in hospice/palliative care.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.289-298
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• 2007

Delirium is a acute syndrome of disorientation caused by disfunction of brain tissue and has a variety of symptomes. It is characterized by disturbance of consciousness and attention, cognition, and perception for a brief period of time and tends to fluctuate during the course of the day. We experienced a 56 year-old woman who had a hypertension as well as Delirium caused by cranial contusion and whose condition was improved by Oriental medical treatment. this case study illustrates what the manifestation of Delirium caused by cranial contusion. This study shows more objective mecical pregress by grading Korean version of Delirium Rating Scale(K-DRS) and Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination(K-MMSE). After our treatments, Delirium and some other symptoms were improved.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.3-14
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• 2011

Delirium is a common psychiatric disorder and occurs in many hospitalized older patients and has serious consequences including increased mortality rate. Despite its importance, health care clinicians often fail to recognize delirium or misdiagnosed as other psychiatric illness. Awareness of the etiologies and risk factors of delirium should enable clinicians to focus on patients at risk and to recognize delirium symptoms early. To improve early recognition of delirium, emphasis should be given to terminology, psychopathology and knowledge regarding clinical rating scale for delirium in the specific medical and surgical clinical settings. In this study, authors introduce rating scales for delirium and knowledge of clinical diagnostic process for delirium and give rise to appropriate assessment of delirium in the clinical situation.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of antipsychotic medication prescription for the symptom control in patients with delirium. Methods : One hundred and eighty-five patients referred to consultation-liaison psychiatric services for delirium due to general medical condition were included in this study. All subjects were divided into two groups (antipsychotics users vs. antipsychotics nonusers), and comparison analyses on their clinical characteristics were performed. Results : One hundred and twenty nine patients (66.5%) used antipsychotics for their delirium, and 56 patients (30.3%) did not use antipsychotics. The history of psychotropic medication was more frequently observed in antipsychotic users (5.4% vs. 18.6%, χ²=5.498, p=0.022). Especially, the history of benzodiazepine use was significantly high in antipsychotics users. The total score and sub-items of delirium rating scale-severity items except for the psychomotor retardation item showed higher scores in antipsychotic users than in nonusers (all p<0.05). The total score of the delirium rating scale-diagnosis items was higher in antipsychotic users than in the nonusers (p=0.010). Conclusions : Delirium patients with more severe delirium symptoms and with more history of benzodiazepine use were treated with antipsychotics more frequently than those without. These findings imply that benzodiazepine may not only exacerbate delirium but be associated with aggression or psychomotor agitation that need immediate intervention. Clinicians may need to pay attention not only these external symptoms but also to hypoactive symptoms that may lead to misdiagnosis and undertreatment.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.473-485
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to report the effectiveness of the combination of Korean medicine therapy on elderly patients with delirium due to overdose of sedative-hypnotics. Methods: The patient was diagnosed with delirium, which occurred after an overdose of sedative-hypnotics. The patient received Korean Medicine treatment, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion and psychotherapy, and other treatments. The evaluation variables to check the effectiveness of the interventions were the Korean Version of the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (K-DRS-R-98) Mini-Mental State Examination-Korean (MMSE-K) Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and Manual Muscle Test (MMT). Results: During the hospitalization period, the K-DRS-R-98 score decreased from 31 to 4, MMSE-K score increased from 18 to 26. CDR score decreased from 2 to 0. MMT in the Right lower extremity was improved. Normal daily activities were possible. Conclusions: Combining Korean Medicine treatments, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, moxibustion, psychotherapy, and other treatments, may help alleviate delirium.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.339-349
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to report the effectiveness of the combination of Giungoroen-therapy, as well as other Korean medicine therapy on postoperative delirium. Methods: The patient was diagnosed with postoperative delirium, that occurred after arthroscopic debridement two months before hospitalization. The patient received Giungoroen-therapy in addition to conventional Korean Medicine treatment, including acupuncture, herbal medicine, and moxibustion. The evaluation variables to check the effectiveness of the interventions, were the Korean Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (Korean Nu-DESC) and the Korean Version of the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (K-DRS-R-98). Results: During the hospitalization period, the Korean Nu-DESC score decreased from 5 to 1, and the K-DRS-R-98 score decreased from 36 to 23. The subjective expression of anxiety had been reduced. Conclusions: The combination of Giungoroen-therapy, as well as other Korean medicine therapy including acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine may be useful in alleviating postoperative delirium.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.371-384
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• 2023

Purpose: With an increase in the aging population, the number of patients with degenerative spinal diseases undergoing surgery has risen, as has the incidence of postoperative delirium. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors affecting postoperative delirium in older adults who had undergone spine surgery and to identify the associated biomarkers. Methods: This study is a prospective study. Data of 100 patients aged ≥ 70 years who underwent spinal surgery were analyzed. Demographic data, medical history, clinical characteristics, cognitive function, depression symptoms, functional status, frailty, and nutritional status were investigated to identify the risk factors for delirium. The Confusion Assessment Method, Delirium Rating Scale-R-98, and Nursing Delirium Scale were also used for diagnosing delirium. To discover the biomarkers, urine extracellular vesicles (EVs) were analyzed for tau, ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), neurofilament light, and glial fibrillary acidic protein using digital immunoassay technology. Results: Nine patients were excluded, and data obtained from the remaining 91 were analyzed. Among them, 18 (19.8%) developed delirium. Differences were observed between participants with and without delirium in the contexts of a history of mental disorder and use of benzodiazepines (p = .005 and p = .026, respectively). Tau and UCH-L1-concentrations of urine EVs-were comparatively higher in participants with severe delirium than that in participants without delirium (p = .002 and p = .001, respectively). Conclusion: These findings can assist clinicians in accurately identifying the risk factors before surgery, classifying high-risk patients, and predicting and detecting delirium in older patients. Moreover, urine EV analysis revealed that postoperative delirium following spinal surgery is most likely associated with brain damage.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.189-199
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• 2005

We experienced a 71year-old man who had a traumatic subdural hemorrhage as well as delirium, and whose condition was improved through oriental medical treatment. Herbal medicine Hwaeo-jeon is administered three times a day. We did Mini-Mental State Examination-Korean(MMSE-K) and Korean-Dementia Rating Scale(K-DRS). After being treated, the patient showed that symptoms of delirium(diminished or altered state of consciousness, impairment of cognitive abilities or physical function) was improved considerably. This result suggests that Hwaeo-jeon has good effects on delirium with Traumatic Subdural Hemorrhage.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy and side effects of quetiapine and haloperidol for the treatment of symptoms of delirium. Methods : One hundred and seven patients with delirium were recruited and randomly assigned to receive a flexible-dose regimen of quetiapine or haloperidol over 7days and seventy-seven patients completed the study(quetiapine group N=40, haloperidol group N=37). The severity of delirium was assessed by using Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale(MDAS) scores, the psychiatric and behavioral symptoms were assessed by Neurobehavioral Rating Scale(NRS) scores, and the cognitive status was measured by Mini-mental state examination Korean version(MMSE-K) scores. The side effects were measured by Drug Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms Scale(DIEPSS) scores. Results : MDAS scores significantly improved in both treatment groups. NRS scores also significantly improved in both treatment group, but the group-by-time effect approached significance, likely caused by the greater decrease in scores of the quetiapine group. MMSE-K scores significantly improved only in the quetiapine group. Side effects associated with treatment were not significant in either treatment groups. Conclusion : This study suggests that quetiapine is as efficacious as haloperidol in the treatment of delirium. In particular, quetiapine seems to improve psychiatric and behavioral problems of delirium and was more effective than haloperidol in cognitive improvement.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.333-341
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test whether pre-operative visual information and parental presence had positive effects on anxiety, delirium, and pain in pediatric patients who awoke from general anesthesia in a post-surgical stage. Methods: This study used a non equivalent control-group post test design (n=76). Independent variables were provision of pre-operative visual information and parental presence for post-surgical pediatric patients in PACU (post anesthesia care unit). Dependent variables were anxiety, delirium, and pain in the pediatric patients measured three times at 10 minute intervals after extubation in the PACU. Measurements included Numerical Rating Scale for assessing state anxiety, Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium Scale by Sikich & Lerman (2004) for delirium, and Objective Pain Scale by Broadman, Rice & Hannallah (1988) for pain. Results: Experimental group showed significantly decreased state anxiety at time points-10, 20, and 30 minutes after extubation. Delirium was significantly lower at 10 minutes and 30 minutes after extubation in the experimental group. Pain was significantly lower at 10 minutes after extubation in the experimental group. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that this intervention can be a safe pre-operative nursing intervention for post-surgical pediatric patients at PACU.