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Delirium and severe illness: Etiologies, severity of delirium and phenomenological differences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 September 2014

Soenke Boettger ,
Josef Jenewein  and
William Breitbart
Soenke Boettger*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Josef Jenewein
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
William Breitbart
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Soenke Boettger, University Hospital Zurich, Ramistrasse 100, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland. E-Mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Objective:

Our aim was to examine the characteristics of delirium in the severely medically ill cancer population on the basis of sociodemographic and medical variables, delirium severity, and phenomenology, as well as severity of medical illness.

Method:

All subjects in the database were recruited from psychiatric referrals at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Sociodemographic and medical variables, as well as the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scale and Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale (MDAS) scores were recorded at baseline. Subsequently, these variables were analyzed with respect to the severity of the medical illness.

Results:

Out of 111 patients, 67 qualified as severely medically ill. KPS scores were 19.7 and 30.7 in less severe illness. There were no significant differences with respect to age, history of dementia, and MDAS scores. Although the severity of delirium did not differ, an increased frequency and severity of consciousness disturbance, disorientation, and inability to maintain and shift attention did exist. With respect to etiologies contributing to delirium, hypoxia and infection were commonly associated with severe illness. In contrast, corticosteroid administration was more often associated with less severe illness. There were no differences with respect to opiate administration, dehydration, and CNS disease, including brain metastasis.

Significance of Results:

Delirium in the severely medically ill cancer population has been characterized by an increased disturbance of consciousness, disorientation, and an inability to maintain and shift attention. However, the severity of illness did not predict severity of delirium. Furthermore, hypoxia and infection were etiologies more commonly associated with delirium in severe illness, whereas the administration of corticosteroids was associated with less severe illness.

Keywords

DeliriumSeverity of medical illnessPhenomenologyEtiologies
Type
Original Articles
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 13 , Issue 4 , August 2015 , pp. 1087 - 1092
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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