TY - JOUR
T1 - Occurrence, causes, and outcome of delirium in patients with advanced cancer
T2 - A prospective study
AU - Lawlor, Peter G.
AU - Gagnon, Bruno
AU - Mancini, Isabelle L.
AU - Pereira, Jose L.
AU - Hanson, John
AU - Suarez-Almazor, Maria E.
AU - Bruera, Eduardo D.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2002/3/27
Y1 - 2002/3/27
N2 - Context: Delirium impedes communication and contributes to symptom distress in patients with advanced cancer. There are few prospective data on the reversal of delirium in this population. Objectives: To evaluate the occurrence, precipitating factors, and reversibility of delirium in patients with advanced cancer. Design: Prospective serial assessment in a consecutive cohort of 113 patients with advanced cancer. Precipitating factors were examined using standardized criteria; 104 patients met eligibility criteria. Setting: Acute palliative care unit in a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Main Outcome Measures: Delirium occurrence and reversal rates, duration, and patient survival. Strengths of association of various precipitating factors with reversal were expressed as hazard ratios (HRs) in univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: On admission, delirium was diagnosed in 44 patients (42%), and of the remaining 60, delirium developed in 27 (45%). Reversal of delirium occurred in 46 (49%) of 94 episodes in 71 patients. Terminal delirium occurred in 46 (88%) of the 52 deaths. In univariate analysis, psychoactive medications, predominantly opioids (HR, 8.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.13-36.74), and dehydration (HR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.20-4.62) were associated with reversibility. Hypoxic encephalopathy (HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.19-0.80) and metabolic factors (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.21- 0.91) were associated with non-reversibility. In multivariate analysis, psychoactive medications (HR, 6.65; 95% CI, 1.49-29.62), hypoxic encephalopathy (HR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.15-0.70), and non-respiratory infection (HR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.08-0.64) had independent associations. Patients with delirium had poorer survival rates than controls (P<.001). Conclusions: Delirium is a frequent, multifactorial complication in advanced cancer. Despite its terminal presentation in most patients, delirium is reversible in approximately 50% of episodes. Delirium precipitated by opioids and other psychoactive medications and dehydration is frequently reversible with change of opioid or dose reduction, discontinuation of unnecessary psychoactive medication, or hydration, respectively.
AB - Context: Delirium impedes communication and contributes to symptom distress in patients with advanced cancer. There are few prospective data on the reversal of delirium in this population. Objectives: To evaluate the occurrence, precipitating factors, and reversibility of delirium in patients with advanced cancer. Design: Prospective serial assessment in a consecutive cohort of 113 patients with advanced cancer. Precipitating factors were examined using standardized criteria; 104 patients met eligibility criteria. Setting: Acute palliative care unit in a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Main Outcome Measures: Delirium occurrence and reversal rates, duration, and patient survival. Strengths of association of various precipitating factors with reversal were expressed as hazard ratios (HRs) in univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: On admission, delirium was diagnosed in 44 patients (42%), and of the remaining 60, delirium developed in 27 (45%). Reversal of delirium occurred in 46 (49%) of 94 episodes in 71 patients. Terminal delirium occurred in 46 (88%) of the 52 deaths. In univariate analysis, psychoactive medications, predominantly opioids (HR, 8.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.13-36.74), and dehydration (HR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.20-4.62) were associated with reversibility. Hypoxic encephalopathy (HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.19-0.80) and metabolic factors (HR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.21- 0.91) were associated with non-reversibility. In multivariate analysis, psychoactive medications (HR, 6.65; 95% CI, 1.49-29.62), hypoxic encephalopathy (HR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.15-0.70), and non-respiratory infection (HR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.08-0.64) had independent associations. Patients with delirium had poorer survival rates than controls (P<.001). Conclusions: Delirium is a frequent, multifactorial complication in advanced cancer. Despite its terminal presentation in most patients, delirium is reversible in approximately 50% of episodes. Delirium precipitated by opioids and other psychoactive medications and dehydration is frequently reversible with change of opioid or dose reduction, discontinuation of unnecessary psychoactive medication, or hydration, respectively.
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U2 - 10.1001/archinte.160.6.786
DO - 10.1001/archinte.160.6.786
M3 - Article
C2 - 10737278
AN - SCOPUS:0342700250
SN - 0003-9926
VL - 160
SP - 786
EP - 794
JO - Archives of Internal Medicine
JF - Archives of Internal Medicine
IS - 6
ER -