Risk Factors and Prediction of Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Hip-Surgery Patients Medscape

Description: Objectives: To evaluate risk factors for postoperative delirium in a cohort of elderly hip-surgery patients and to validate a medical risk stratification model.
Results: Incidence of delirium was 3.8% in the low-risk group (P <.001), 11.1% in the intermediate-risk group (P = .27, relative risk (RR) = 3.0), and 37.1% in the high-risk group (P <.001, RR = 9.8). Cognitive impairment at admission had the highest predictive value for postoperative delirium (coefficient of determination = 0.15). Contrary to previous findings, age was an independent predictive factor for delirium. Moreover, postoperative delirium was four times as frequent in acute patients as in elective hip-replacement patients.
Conclusion: The medical risk factor model is valid for elderly hip-surgery patients. Cognitive impairment, age, and type of admission are important risk factors for delirium in this surgical population.
Risk Factors and Prediction of Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Hip-Surgery Patients: Implementation and Validation of a Medical Risk Factor Model Kees J. Kalisvaart, MD, PhD; Ralph Vreeswijk, RN, MSc; Jos F. M. de Jonghe, PhD; Tjeerd van der Ploeg, MMath; Willem A. van Gool, MD, PhD; Piet Eikelenboom, MD, PhD J Am Geriatr Soc. 2006;54(5):817-822 full text