This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Exploratory Study

Rogelio I. Thomas, MD, MPP; Daniel J. Cameron, MD, MPH; Marianne C. Fahs, PhD, MPH

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1988;45(10):937-940.

Abstract
• Using explicit criteria, delirium was diagnosed in 15% of a cohort of 133 hospitalized patients. Following each patient's discharge or death, the length of stay was compared with the diagnosis related group—predicted length of hospitalization. An analysis of stay variations disclosed that delirious patients exceeded their predicted stay by an average of 13 days, while nondelirious patients exceeded theirs by 3.3 days. The mean (±SD) length of hospitalization for patients with delirium was significantly longer than for their nondelirious counterparts (21.6 ±23.7 days vs 10.6 ±10.1 days, respectively). Hospitals treating high proportions of patients with delirium as a comorbidity to a principal somatic diagnosis should institute measures for the early detection of and appropriate intervention in patients with this condition. These steps may help reduce prolonged hospitalizations and minimize financial risk under the current diagnosis related group reimbursement system.

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Community Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine (Drs Thomas and Fahs), and Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Hospital (Dr Cameron), New York.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Dec 10, 1987.

Reprint requests to SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, 450 Clarkson Ave, Box 50, Brooklyn, NY 11203-2098 (Dr Thomas).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Differing management of people with advanced cancer and delirium by four sub-specialties
Agar et al.
Palliat Med 2008;22:633-640.
ABSTRACT  

Gabapentin: a multimodal perioperative drug?
Kong and Irwin
Br J Anaesth 2007;99:775-786.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Differences in Characteristics and Outcome of Delirium as Based on Referral Patterns
Mittal et al.
Psychosomatics 2006;47:367-375.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Occurrence and outcome of delirium in medical in-patients: a systematic literature review
Siddiqi et al.
Age Ageing 2006;35:350-364.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Delirium in older patients admitted to general internal medicine.
Edlund et al.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2006;19:83-90.
ABSTRACT  

Delirium in Elderly Patients
Cole
Focus 2005;3:320-332.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A Systematic Review of Studies of the Cost-Effectiveness of Mental Health Consultation-Liaison Interventions in General Hospitals
Andreoli et al.
Psychosomatics 2003;44:499-507.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Use of the Cognitive Test for Delirium in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury
Kennedy et al.
Psychosomatics 2003;44:283-289.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Systematic detection and multidisciplinary care of delirium in older medical inpatients: a randomized trial
Cole et al.
CMAJ 2002;167:753-759.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Delirium Predicts 12-Month Mortality
McCusker et al.
Arch Intern Med 2002;162:457-463.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Use of Medications With Anticholinergic Effect Predicts Clinical Severity of Delirium Symptoms in Older Medical Inpatients
Han et al.
Arch Intern Med 2001;161:1099-1105.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Cost of Delirium in the Surgical Patient
Franco et al.
Psychosomatics 2001;42:68-73.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Relationship Between Symptoms and Motoric Subtype of Delirium
Meagher et al.
J. Neuropsychiatry Clin. Neurosi. 2000;12:51-56.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine Practice Guidelines for Psychiatric Consultation in the General Medical Setting
Bronheim et al.
Psychosomatics 1998;39:8S-30.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Psychological care of medical patients
House et al.
BMJ 1995;310:1422-1423.
FULL TEXT  

Delirium
Liptzin
Arch Fam Med 1995;4:453-458.
ABSTRACT  

Detecting Delirium Among Hospitalized Older Patients
Pompei et al.
Arch Intern Med 1995;155:301-307.
ABSTRACT  

The Relationship of Postoperative Delirium With Psychoactive Medications
Marcantonio et al.
JAMA 1994;272:1518-1522.
ABSTRACT  

A Clinical Prediction Rule for Delirium After Elective Noncardiac Surgery
Marcantonio et al.
JAMA 1994;271:134-139.
ABSTRACT  

Neuroleptic Prescriptions for Acutely Ill Geriatric Patients
Hesse et al.
Arch Intern Med 1993;153:2581-2587.
ABSTRACT  

Risk Factors for Delirium in Hospitalized Elderly
Schor et al.
JAMA 1992;267:827-831.
ABSTRACT  

The Delirium Symptom Interview: An Interview for the Detection of Delirium Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients
Albert et al.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1992;5:14-21.
ABSTRACT  

A Prospective Study of Delirium in Hospitalized Elderly
Francis et al.
JAMA 1990;263:1097-1101.
ABSTRACT