High Rates of Delirium in Critically Ill Stroke Patients: Study

According to a new study in the American Journal of Critical Care, delirium was found in 44% of critically ill stroke patients at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, with the highest rates—60%—among those with intracerebral hemorrhage. According to a July 1 press release, the research is one of the first to focus exclusively on critically ill stroke patients, highlighting significant links between delirium and poor clinical outcomes.

“By focusing exclusively on patients who were critically ill after a stroke, our study provides important insight into the association between delirium and adverse outcomes,” said co-author Thomas Lawson, PhD, APRN-CNP, ACNP-BC. Patients with even one day of delirium had longer hospital stays, more time on mechanical ventilation, and were less likely to be discharged home.

Despite these findings, mortality rates did not significantly differ between patients with and without delirium. The study analyzed data from 169 patients admitted in 2022 and used the CAM-ICU-7 tool to assess delirium severity daily for up to seven days.