ObjectiveThe aims of the present study were 1) to standardize the validity and reliability of the Korean version of Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-R98-K) and 2) to establish the optimum cut-off value, sensitivity, and specificity for discriminating delirium from other non-delirious psychiatric conditions.MethodsUsing DSM-IV criteria, 157 subjects (69 delirium, 29 dementia, 32 schizophrenia, and 27 other psychiatric patients) were enrolled. Subjects were evaluated using DRS-R98-K, DRS-K, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-K), and Clinical Global Impression-Severity (CGI-S) scale.ResultsDRS-R98-K total and severity scores showed high correlations with DRS-K. They were significantly different across all groups (p=0.000). However, neither MMSE-K nor CGI-S distinguished delirium from dementia. All DRS-R98-K diagnostic items (#14-16) and items #1 and 2 significantly discriminated delirium from dementia. Cronbach's alpha coefficient revealed high internal consistency for DRS-R98-K total (r=0.91) and severity (r=0.89) scales. Interrater reliability (ICC between 0.96 and 1) was very high. Using receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve of DRS-R98-K total score was 0.948 between the delirium group and all other groups and 0.873 between the delirium and dementia groups. The best cut-off scores in DRS-R98-K total score were 18.5 and 19.5 between the delirium and the other three groups and 20.5 between the delirium and dementia groups.ConclusionWe demonstrated that DRS-R98-K is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing delirium severity and diagnosis and discriminating delirium from dementia and other psychiatric disorders in Korean patients.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute immune-mediated polyneuropathy that constitutes a heterogeneous syndrome with several variant forms. We experienced a patient who rapidly developed atypical variant GBS without a preceding history of infection. A 13-year-old female patient was admitted, presenting with left facial palsy and ophthalmoplegia. After a few days, right hand and ankle muscle weakness and paresthesia of both hands newly occurred. Electrophysiological findings revealed multifocal asymmetric motor and sensory axonal neuropathies compatible with multiple mononeuropathy. In blood testing, autoimmune-related antibodies were negative and anti-GQ1b antibodies were positive. We diagnosed the patient with overlapping Miller-Fisher syndrome and the acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy variant of GBS. After intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, the weakness of the limbs partially improved. Since the initial symptoms were similar to those of mononeuritis multiplex, it was difficult to recognize GBS. Electrodiagnostic studies and anti-ganglioside antibody screening tests are necessary for the early differential diagnosis of variant GBS.

□ 이달의 X선 □ Herpes zoster is well-known viral disease in immune compromised that produces inflammatory lesions in the posterior root ganglia and is characterized clinically by pain and skin eruptions along the distribution of the affected ganglia. However, motor involvement after a herpes zoster is an uncommon complication. We report a case of diaphragmatic paralysis that occurred after a herpes zoster in 63-year-old woman. The diaphragmatic paralysis occurred one month after the typical herpes zoster eruptions affecting the C3 and C4 dermatomes in the right neck, shoulder and back area.

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