Archives of Mental Health (Jan 2015)
A study of phenomenology of delirium in patients with and without neuroimaging changes
Abstract
Background: Etiology of delirium is diverse and multi-factorial and 26% of the etiological factors for delirium are due to Central nervous system lesions. The findings of major neuroanatomical changes among prolonged delirium patients suggest the involvement of brain which could be better understood by neuroimaging. Limited data is available regarding neuroimaging aspects of delirium. Aims and objectives: To study and compare the phenomenology of delirium among the patients with and without neuroimaging changes. Methods: All the patients who are admitted in the Neuro ICU and diagnosed with delirium are included in the study. Confusion assessment method (CAM) was used for screening altered mental status and the diagnosis of delirium was confirmed by ICD-10. MRI (T1, T2, DWI) was done on the diagnosed patients and findings were noted. Patients were divided into two groups. Fifteen patients identified consecutively with MRI changes were included in the first group and 15 patients identified consecutively without MRI changes were included in the second group. Phenomenology of delirium is assessed in both the groups using Delirium severity rating scale–revised 98 (DRS-R-98). Conclusion: Our study concludes that in patients with Neuro-imaging changes, the phenomenology of delirium differs in memory and motor activity among cognitive and non cognitive items respectively. Further research is needed for better understanding of neuro- pathogenesis of delirium
