Motoric Subtypes of Delirium: Not Associated With Long-Term Outcomes in Adults After Critical Illness?

Abstract

Critical Care Medicine www.ccmjournal.org e1269 delirium was associated with better long-term functions compared with hyperactive (p = 0.04) or mixed delirium (p = 0.01), which contradicts the conclusion of the study by Rengel et al (1). Therefore, it is worrying that assigning patients with mixed delirium to a hypoactive and hyperactive group may lead to an inaccurate analysis or even false-negative result in the study by Rengel et al (1).

The authors reply

“…We thank Gao et al (1) for their insightful comments on our recently published study (2). Our work examining long-term mental health outcomes in survivors of critical illness included both a veteran and civilian population.…”

“…The second point raised by Gao et al (1) addresses our choice to omit the mixed motoric subtype of delirium in analyses. Hyperactive delirium is consistently reported at markedly lower rates than hypoactive or mixed (combined hyperactive and hypoactive) delirium.…”