Objectives: To determine delirium occurrence rate, duration, and severity in patients admitted to the ICU with coronavirus disease 2019. Design: Retrospective data extraction study from March 1, 2020, to June 7, 2020. Delirium outcomes were assessed for up to the first 14 days in ICU. Setting: Two large, academic centers serving the state of Indiana. Patients: Consecutive patients admitted to the ICU with positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction test from March 1, 2020, to June 7, 2020, were included. Individuals younger than 18 years of age, without any delirium assessments, or without discharge disposition were excluded. Measurements and Main Results: Primary outcomes were delirium rates and duration, and the secondary outcome was delirium severity. Two-hundred sixty-eight consecutive patients were included in the analysis with a mean age of 58.4 years (sd, 15.6 yr), 40.3% were female, 44.4% African American, 20.7% Hispanic, and a median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of 18 (interquartile range, 13–25). Delirium without coma occurred in 29.1% of patients, delirium prior to coma in 27.9%, and delirium after coma in 23.1%. The first Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU assessment was positive for delirium in 61.9%. Hypoactive delirium was the most common subtype (87.4%). By day 14, the median number of delirium/coma-free were 5 days (interquartile range, 4–11 d), and median Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU-7 score was 6.5 (interquartile range, 5–7) indicating severe delirium. Benzodiazepines were ordered for 78.4% of patients in the cohort. Mechanical ventilation was associated with greater odds of developing delirium (odds ratio, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.1–22.2; p = 0.033) even after adjusting for sedative medications. There were no between-group differences in mortality. Conclusions: Delirium without coma occurred in 29.1% of patients admitted to the ICU. Delirium persisted for a median of 5 days and was severe. Mechanical ventilation was significantly associated with odds of delirium even after adjustment for sedatives. Clinical attention to manage delirium duration and severity, and deeper understanding of the virus’ neurologic effects is needed for patients with coronavirus disease 2019.

Background Delirium is a highly prevalent and morbid syndrome in mechanically ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Music is a promising non-pharmacological intervention with beneficial effects on anxiety and stress, while its effects on delirium duration and severity are not well understood. Methods/design Our study is a two-arm, randomized parallel-group, clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of music intervention compared to a silence-track attention control on delirium/coma duration in mechanically ventilated critically ill older adults. One hundred sixty mechanically ventilated adults 50 years of age or older will be randomized to one of two arms within 72 h of ICU admission: (1) 1-h music listening sessions twice daily through noise-canceling headphones, or (2) 1-h sessions of a silence track twice daily through noise-canceling headphones. Our primary aim is to compare delirium/coma-free days after randomization during the 7-day study intervention phase using the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM ICU) and the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale (RASS) for delirium and coma. Secondary outcomes include pain and anxiety evaluated twice daily during the intervention phase and throughout the duration of ICU stay using the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) and visual analog scale-anxiety (VAS-A). Enrolled participants will be followed after hospital discharge to further measure cognition as well as screening for depression and anxiety using the following telephone-based instruments: Indiana University Telephone-Based Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (IU TBANS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Discussion This randomized clinical trial will measure the efficacy of a music listening intervention for delirium and coma duration early in the intensive care unit among older adults. Trial registration. ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT04182334.

Background Delirium incidence, duration and severity in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) due to COVID-19 is not known. Methods We conducted an observational study at two large urban academic Level 1 trauma centers. Consecutive patients admitted to the ICU with a positive SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction test from March 1st, 2020 to April 27, 2020 were included. Individuals younger than 18 years of age, without any documented delirium assessments (CAM-ICU), or without a discharge disposition were excluded. The primary outcomes were delirium rates and delirium duration and the secondary outcome was delirium severity. Outcomes were assessed for up to the first 14 days of ICU stay. Results Of 243 consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, 144 met eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis. Delirium occurred in 73.6% (106/144) and delirium or coma occurred in 76.4% (110/144). Sixty-three percent of patients were positive for delirium on the first CAM-ICU assessment. The median duration of delirium and coma was 7 days (IQR: 3-10), and the median delirium duration was 5 days (IQR: 2-7). The median CAM-ICU-7 score was 6 (IQR: 4-7) representing severe delirium. Mechanical ventilation was associated with greater odds of developing delirium (OR: 42.1, 95%CI: 13.0-137.1). Mortality was 26.4% in patients with delirium compared to 15.8% in patients without delirium. Conclusions 73.6% of patients admitted to the ICU with COVID-19 experience delirium that persists for approximately 1 week. Invasive mechanical ventilation is significantly associated with odds of delirium. Clinical attention to prevent and manage delirium and reduce delirium duration and severity is urgently needed for patients with COVID-19.

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