UCL Discovery
UCL home » Library Services » Electronic resources » UCL Discovery

Three key areas in progressing delirium practice and knowledge: recognition and relief of distress, new directions in delirium epidemiology and developing better research assessments

MacLullich, AMJ; Hosie, A; Tieges, Z; Davis, DHJ; (2022) Three key areas in progressing delirium practice and knowledge: recognition and relief of distress, new directions in delirium epidemiology and developing better research assessments. Age and Ageing , 51 (11) , Article afac271. 10.1093/ageing/afac271. Green open access

[thumbnail of Manuscript]
Preview
Text (Manuscript)
Davis_Manuscript version 2.pdf

Download (278kB) | Preview
[thumbnail of Title page]
Preview
Text (Title page)
Davis_Title page.pdf

Download (110kB) | Preview
[thumbnail of Box, table and figure legend]
Preview
Text (Box, table and figure legend)
Davis_Box, table and figure legends.pdf

Download (78kB) | Preview
[thumbnail of Box 1]
Preview
Text (Box 1)
Davis_Box 1.pdf

Download (126kB) | Preview
[thumbnail of Box 2]
Preview
Text (Box 2)
Davis_Box 2.pdf

Download (99kB) | Preview
[thumbnail of Table 1]
Preview
Text (Table 1)
Davis_Table 1.pdf

Download (112kB) | Preview

Abstract

Delirium presents formidable challenges: it affects one in four of older hospitalised adults, greatly elevates the risk of multiple short- and long-term complications including dementia and causes significant distress. Delirium care remains generally poor. Yet, there are clear grounds for optimism; the last decade has seen impactful policy advances and a tripling of research output. Here, we highlight three linked areas which have strong potential to transform delirium practice and knowledge in the near term. Delirium-related distress is strikingly underrepresented in practice guidance and research. Proactive recognition combined with effective clinical responses based on good communication provides a critical and largely untapped opportunity to improve care. Delirium epidemiology research is well positioned to produce novel insights through advanced prospective designs in populations such as emergency medical patients with detailed pre-, intra- and post-delirium assessments allied with fluid, imaging and other biomarkers. Research-grade assessment of delirium currently involves a chaotic array of tools, methods and diagnostic algorithms. Areas for development: expand and analytically distinguish the range of features assessed (including distress), optimise feature assessment including use of validated neuropsychological tests where possible, produce standardised algorithms which articulate explicit pathways from features to diagnosis, and create new fine-grained approaches to the measurement of severity. Delirium practice and knowledge show accelerating growth. This is encouraging but much of the necessary progress is still to come. Innovation in these three highlighted areas, as well as many others, will open up exciting possibilities in enhancing the care of patients with this common and often devastating condition.

Type: Article
Title: Three key areas in progressing delirium practice and knowledge: recognition and relief of distress, new directions in delirium epidemiology and developing better research assessments
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac271
Publisher version: http://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afac271
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: delirium, dementia, distress, neuropsychology, epidemiology
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Cardiovascular Science
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Cardiovascular Science > Population Science and Experimental Medicine
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Population Health Sciences > Institute of Cardiovascular Science > Population Science and Experimental Medicine > MRC Unit for Lifelong Hlth and Ageing
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10170930
Downloads since deposit
82Downloads
Download activity - last month
Download activity - last 12 months
Downloads by country - last 12 months

Archive Staff Only

View Item View Item