Background Delirium is a common form of acute brain dysfunction with prognostic significance. Health care professionals caring for older emergency department (ED) patients miss delirium approximately 75% of cases. This error results from a lack of available measures that can be performed rapidly enough to be incorporated into clinical practice. Therefore, we developed and evaluated a novel two-step approach to delirium surveillance for the ED. Methods This prospective observational study was conducted at an academic ED in patients ≥ 65 years old. A research assistant (RA) and physician performed the Delirium Triage Screen (DTS), designed to be a highly sensitive rule-out test, and the Brief Confusion Assessment Method (bCAM), designed to be a highly specific rule-in test for delirium. The reference standard for delirium was a comprehensive psychiatrist assessment using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria. All assessments were independently conducted within 3 hours of each other. Sensitivities, specificities, and likelihood ratios with their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated. Results Of 406 enrolled patients, 50 (12.3%) had delirium diagnosed by the psychiatrist reference standard. The DTS was 98.0% (95%CI: 89.5% – 99.5%) sensitive with an expected specificity of approximately 55% for both raters. The DTS’ negative likelihood ratio was 0.04 (95%CI: 0.01 – 0.25) in both raters. As the complement, the bCAM had a specificity of 95.8% (95%CI: 93.2% – 97.4%) and 96.9% (95%CI: 94.6% – 98.3%) and a sensitivity of 84.0% (95%CI: 71.5% – 91.7%) and 78.0% (95%CI: 64.8% – 87.2%) when performed by the physician and RA, respectively. The positive likelihood ratios for the bCAM were 19.9 (95%CI: 12.0 – 33.2) and 25.2 (95%CI: 13.9 – 46.0), respectively. If the RA DTS was followed by the physician bCAM, the sensitivity of this combination was 84.0% (95%CI: 71.5% – 91.7%) and the specificity was 95.8% (95%CI: 93.2% – 97.4%). If the RA performed both the DTS and bCAM, this combination was 78.0% (95%CI: 64.8% – 87.2%) sensitive and 97.2% (95%CI: 94.9% – 98.5%) specific. If the physician performed both the DTS and bCAM, this combination was 82.0% (95%CI: 69.2% – 90.2%) sensitive and 95.8% (95CI: 93.2% – 97.4%) specific. Conclusions In older ED patients, this two-step approach (highly sensitive DTS followed by highly specific bCAM) may enable healthcare professionals, regardless of clinical background, to efficiently screen for delirium. Larger, multi-centered trials are needed to confirm these findings and to determine the impact of these assessments on delirium recognition in the ED.

Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in depressed patients who experience an acute MI might reduce subsequent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A controlled trial is needed to examine this important issue.

These results demonstrate the potential efficacy of self-guided Internet coping groups while highlighting the limitations of such groups.

We examined the efficacy of an innovative family-based intervention designed to decrease caregiving stress and increase family communication among individuals with chronic, life-limiting illnesses and their family caregivers in a randomized, contact control group design. The intervention group received three home visits in which the interventionist actively worked with the family to construct a personal Legacy, usually a scrap-book with photographs or audiotaped stories. Control group families received three supportive telephone calls. Of the 42 families that entered the project, 31 families completed follow-up assessments within 9 to 10 weeks (14 control; 17 intervention; 72% African American) for a retention rate of 74%. Intervention caregivers showed reduced caregiving stress in comparison with control group caregivers, who showed increases in stress. Intervention patients reported decreased breathing difficulty and increased religious meaning. Caregivers and patients reported greater social interaction on the part of the patient. All participants in the intervention group initiated a Legacy activity and reported that Legacy improved family communication. Legacy interventions hold promise and are simple to implement.