-This study has tested the validity and reliability of the Portuguese version of the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), a diagnostic assessment instrument for delirium developed by Inouye et al. (1990). The sample was formed by 100 patients with 60 and more years of age, admitted at the emergency service of Santa Casa de São Paulo, in the time periods between July and August, 1996, November and December, 1996 and February and March, 1997. The sensibility was 94.1% and specificity 96.4%. The assessors reliability in a sample of the 24 patients resulted in a kappa = 0.70. We have concluded that CAM is an adequate instrument to assess the presence of delirium, reliable to assess elderly patients at the emergency services.KEY WORDS: delirium ,elderly, emergency service, validity, CAM.Validação e confiabilidade da versão em língua portuguesa do confusion assessment method (CAM) para a detecção de delirium no idoso.
RESUMO -O presente estudo testou a validade e confiabilidade da versão em língua portuguesa do ConfusionAssessment Method (CAM), instrumento de avaliação diagnóstica de delirium desenvolvido por Inouye e col. (1990). A amostra foi composta de 100 pacientes com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos atendidos no serviço de urgência da Santa Casa de São Paulo nos períodos de julho a agosto de 1996, novembro a dezembro de 1996 e fevereiro a março de 1997. Os resultados apontaram sensibilidade de 94,1% e especificidade de 96,4%. Confiabilidade entre avaliadores em subgrupos de 24 pacientes produziu kappa = 0,70. Concluimos que o CAM é um instrumento que afere a presença de delirium de forma adequada e que pode ser utilizado de forma confiável na avaliação de pacientes idosos atendidos em serviços de urgência. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: delirium, idoso, serviço de urgência, validação, CAM. Presently, delirium is defined as an organic brain syndrome without specific etiology, characterized by the simultaneous presence of disturbances related to consciousness and attention, perception, thinking, memory, psychomotor behavior, emotions and sleep-wake cycle 1 . Prevalence studies indicate that delirium is present in 10-24% of adults admitted to hospital and that another 32% will develop the disorder as inpatients 2,3 . Typical symptoms of delirium include reduced ability to focus and maintain attention, memory deficits, disorientation, language difficulties, illusions, hallucinations, and many other behavioral abnormalities. Infection, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disturbances, and drug use or withdrawal are the most frequent causes of delirium 4,5 . Only 33-64% of the patients with delirium are correctly identified by practicing physician [6][7][8][9][10]