Rates of 1-year cognitive impairment in older adults who developed delirium due to a systemic infection

Abstract

IntroductionDelirium affects a significant proportion of hospitalized older patients with acute infections. There is growing evidence that delirium accelerates the cognitive decline at long term.ObjectivesWe aimed to determine if delirium during hospitalization was independently associated with cognitive deterioration at one-year.MethodsFrom a total of 22 patients (12 C, 4 Dem, 2 D, and 4 DD) delirium (D and DD groups) was associated with a worse score in MOCA of 3-points (p<.02) and 2.5-points (p<.03), respectively, at one year, follow up. Dementia patients without delirium had a decrease of 2-point (p=.04) while cognitively healthy patients had a decrease in 1.08 points (p=.05) (Graph1). MOCA and NPI scores during hospitalization correlated significantly with cognitive decline in the four groups (r=.658, p<.01 and r=.439, p=.02, respectively.)ResultsFrom a total of 22 patients (12 C, 4 Dem, 2 D and 4 DD) delirium (D and DD groups) was associated with a worse score in MOCA of 3-points (p<.02) and 2.5-points (p<.03), respectively, at one year follow up. Dementia patients without delirium had a of 2-point (p=.04) while cognitively healthy patients had a decrease in 1.08 points (p=.05) (Graph1). MOCA and NPI scores during hospitalization correlated significantly with cognitive decline in the four groups (r=.658, p<.01 and r=.439, p=.02, respectively.)ConclusionsIndividuals developing delirium while recovering from infection have higher rates of cognitive decline after one year, but the cognitive decline is also present to a lower extent for individuals with infections that did not develop delirium.DisclosureNo significant relationships.