Delirium In Intensive Care Unit Research Articles

Delirium During Critical Illness and Subsequent Change of Treatment in Patients With Cancer: A Mediation Analysis.

To assess whether delirium during ICU stay is associated with subsequent change in treatment of cancer after discharge. Retrospective cohort study. A 50-bed ICU in a dedicated cancer center. Patients greater than or equal to 18 years old with a previous proposal of cancer treatment (chemotherapy, target therapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, oncologic surgery, and bone marrow transplantation). None. We considered delirium present if Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU was positive. We assessed the association between delirium and modification of the treatment after discharge. We also performed a mediation analysis to assess both the direct and indirect (i.e., mediated by the development of functional dependence after discharge) of delirium on modification of cancer treatment and whether the modification of cancer treatment was associated with mortality at 1 year. We included 1,134 patients, of whom, 189 (16.7%) had delirium. Delirium was associated with the change in cancer treatment (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.80; 95% CI, 2.72-5.35). The association between delirium in ICU and change of treatment was both direct and mediated by the development of functional dependence after discharge. The proportion of the total effect of delirium on change of treatment mediated by the development of functional dependence after discharge was 33.0% (95% CI, 21.7-46.0%). Change in treatment was associated with increased mortality at 1 year (adjusted OR, 2.68; 95% CI, 2.01-3.60). Patients who had delirium during ICU stay had a higher rate of modification of cancer treatment after discharge. The effect of delirium on change in cancer treatment was only partially mediated by the development of functional dependence after discharge. Change in cancer treatment was associated with increased 1-year mortality.

A family intervention to prevent postoperative delirium in patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery: A randomized controlled study

BackgroundMultiple guidelines recommend that families be involved in the care of ICU patients, which has been widely used in ICU delirium management in recent years. Postoperative delirium (POD) occurs frequently after cardiac surgery and is associated with poor outcomes; however, the effects of family intervention on this group are rarely studied. ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the effects of family intervention on the incidence of POD and the ICU prognoses of patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery. MethodsThis was a two-group, single-blind, randomized controlled trial involving 80 patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery, with 40 patients in each group. The control group received routine ICU visits, and the experimental group implemented a family intervention that instructed family caregivers to participate in delirium management during ICU visits. The occurrence of POD, ICU stay, mechanical ventilation time of patients; as well as the anxiety, depression, and satisfaction levels of family caregivers were compared between the two groups. ResultsThe incidence of POD and ICU stay of patients were significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The anxiety and depression incidence of family caregivers in the experimental group was lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05), and satisfaction scores were higher than those of the control group (P < 0.05). ConclusionsFamily intervention has the potential to reduce the incidence of POD in patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery, shorten ICU stays, reduce the incidence of anxiety and depression in family caregivers, and improve their satisfaction. These findings suggest that family intervention could be incorporated into routine nursing practice.

Delirium Care by Intensive Care Unit Nurses: Focus Group Studies in a Medical Center of Southern Taiwan.

Studies have identified many nursing interventions that can prevent delirium and fall accidents in clinical patients, detect and treat delirium early to prevent functional decline in the patient, shorten hospitalization duration, and lower the death rate. This study aimed to explore delirium care by intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in a medical center of southern Taiwan. This study conducted 3 semistructured focus group interviews, each for a single medical ICU, involving groups of 6 to 8 nurses each. The nurses were recruited through purposive sampling. This research was approved by an institutional review board in the medical center of southern Taiwan from March 31, 2020, to January 30, 2021. The co-principal investigator described the purpose and process of this study to the participants before they provided their written informed consents. The interviews were conducted in the meeting room and were audiotape recorded. The recordings were transcribed and subject to content analysis to identify the themes of delirium care. For nursing interventions of delirium, satisfying the patient's physical needs: comfort care, massages, and early rehabilitation; and psychological care: being presence, communication, and ensuring familial support were included. In terms of environmental interventions for delirium, providing reorientation, music, light, belongings with sentimental value, and audiovisual equipment were included. However, according to the recruited medical ICU nurses, these nonpharmacological interventions, although effective, do not have long-lasting effects. Finally, nurses reported themselves as having been attacked by patients with delirium. Thus, they all agreed that restraining patients with delirium may be necessary, but restraining is a double-edged sword for ICU delirium patients. Research team suggests for future studies to extend their evidence-based findings of physical, psychological, and environmental care for ICU delirium patients toward integrating the efforts of various health care professionals.

Prophylactic Melatonin for Delirium in Intensive Care Unit: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Delirium, being a common disorder among critically ill patients, has a reported incidence ranging 45-83% in the intensive care unit (ICU) population. The prophylactic use of melatonin and melatonergics has been shown to have a positive effect in reducing the incidence of delirium in many clinical trials. Our study was thus proposed to find out the role of melatonin on the incidence and severity of ICU delirium, ICU and hospital length of stay (LOS), requirement, duration of mechanical ventilation, and ICU mortality. A systematic search of various databases was performed to find out the trials which compare melatonin with a placebo or standard therapy for delirium prevention with the results conveyed as mean differences (MDs) or risk ratios. The statistical software, Review Manager (RevMan, version 5.4), was used for data synthesis. Twelve studies were included in the meta-analysis. Prophylactic administration of melatonin or ramelteon was not associated with a statistically significant reduction in the incidence of delirium (odds ratio [OR] 0.63; confidence interval [CI]: 0.60, 1.32; p = 0.22), the severity of delirium (MD: 0.22; 95% CI: From -1.36 to 1.81; p = 0.78), ICU LOS (MD: 0.05; 95% CI: From -0.65 to 0.75; p = 0.89), hospital LOS (MD: -1.46; 95% CI: From -4.50 to -1.59; p = 0.35), need for mechanical ventilation (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.38-1.44; p = 0.37), and ICU mortality (MD: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.56; 1.11; p = 0.62). However, a significant reduction in the duration of mechanical ventilation (MD: -0.85; 95% CI: From -1.64 to -0.06; p = 0.03) was found. Our meta-analysis suggests that melatonin when given prophylactically has no significant role in reducing the incidence and severity of delirium, ICU and hospital LOS, need for mechanical ventilation, duration of mechanical ventilation, and ICU mortality. Further studies are warranted. Mukundarajan R, Soni KD, Trikha A. Prophylactic Melatonin for Delirium in Intensive Care Unit: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Indian J Crit Care Med 2023;27(9):675-685.

An observational pilot study of sleep disruption and delirium in critically ill children

BackgroundSleep disruption is frequently observed in children with delirium in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). ObjectivesThis observational pilot study explores relationships among modifiable characteristics of the PICU environment (i.e., light, sound, clinician caregiving patterns), sleep disruption, and delirium. MethodsTen children, 1 to 4 years old, were recruited within 48 h of PICU admission and followed until discharge. A light meter, dosimeter, and video camera were placed at bedside to measure PICU environmental exposures. Sleep was measured via actigraphy. Twice daily delirium screening was conducted. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the PICU environment, sleep, and delirium experienced by children. Bivariate analyses were performed to determine relationships among variables. ResultsAverage participant age was 21 (SD = 9.6) months. Eight (80%) were admitted for respiratory failure. Median PICU length of stay was 36.7 (IQR[29.6, 51.5]) hours, which limited data collection duration. Delirium prevalence was 60% (n = 6). Children experienced low daytime light levels (x¯ = 112.8 lux, SD = 145.5) and frequent peaks (x¯ = 1.9/hr, SD = 0.5) of excessive sound (i.e., ≥ 45 A-weighted decibels). Clinician caregiving episodes were frequent (x¯ = 4.5/hr, SD = 2.6). Children experienced 7.3 (SD = 2.1) awakenings per hour of sleep and a median sleep episode duration of 1.4 (IQR[0.6, 2.3]) hours. On average, children with delirium experienced 1.1 more awakenings per sleep hour and 42 fewer minutes of sleep per sleep episode during the night shift. Increased clinician care frequency and duration were associated with worse sleep quality and delirium. ConclusionsStudy results will inform future, large-scale research and nurse-driven sleep promotion interventions.

Differences in Delirium Evaluation and Pharmacologic Management in Children With Developmental Delay: A Retrospective Case-Control Study.

Delirium is associated with increased mortality and cost, decreased neurocognition, and decreased quality of life in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) population. The Cornell Assessment for Pediatric Delirium (CAPD) is used in PICUs for delirium screening but lacks specificity in children with developmental delay (DD). Within a cohort of children receiving pharmacologic treatment for intensive care unit (ICU) delirium, we compared delirium scoring and medication management between children with and without DD. We hypothesized that CAPD scores and treatment decisions would differ between DD and neurotypical (NT) patients. In this retrospective case-control study, we queried the medical record of patients admitted to our PICU with respiratory failure from June 2018 to March 2022 who received antipsychotics typically used for ICU delirium. Antipsychotics prescribed for home use were excluded. Nonparametric statistics compared demographics, CAPD scores, medication choice, dosing (mg/kg), and medication continuation after discharge between those with and without DD based on the ICD-10 codes. Twenty-one DD admissions and 59 NT admissions were included. Groups did not significantly differ by demographics, LOS, drug, or initial dosage. DD patients had higher median CAPD scores at admission (17 vs 13; P = .02) and treatment initiation (18 vs 16.5; P = .05). Providers more frequently escalated doses in DD patients (13/21 vs 21/59; P = .04) and discharged them home on new antipsychotics (7/21 vs 5/59; P = .01). DD patients experience delirium screening and management differently than NT counterparts. Providers should be aware of baseline elevated scores in DD patients and carefully attend to indications for dosage escalation. Further work is needed to understand if prolonged duration, even after hospital discharge, benefits patients, or represents potential disparity in care.

Lived Experience of Violence Perpetrated by Treated Patients and Their Visitors in Intensive Care Units: A Qualitative Study of Nurses.

Patient and visitor violence (PVV) is a widespread problem for health professionals. Nurses working in intensive care units (ICUs) face a relatively high risk of experiencing PVV, which significantly impacts both the health of nurses and the institution as a whole. The subjective perceptions of ICU nurses regarding PVV are inadequately explored in the literature. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives, experiences, and perceptions of PVV in ICU nurses and to better understand the precipitating factors of violence. A phenomenological qualitative design and purposive sampling were used. A semistructured interview guide was used to conduct in-depth interviews with 12 ICU nurses with PVV experiences. Giorgi's method of analysis was used to discover and identify the essential categories of experience. Five main experience categories were identified: family and patient factors as flashpoints, managing suppressed emotions by weathering the emotional storm, spiritual awakening after violence, and strategies for surviving further violence. The participants' experiences with PVV included a range of caring and mental health difficulties. In ICU settings, patient progress is often unpredictable, resulting in discrepancies between patient/family expectations and reality. Because feelings of frustration and powerlessness can eventually cause exhaustion in ICU nurses, implementing effective emotional management, stress adjustment, psychological counseling, team support, and violence intervention programs are crucial. This study provides new information on the process by which nurses can progress from inner trauma to self-recovery, moving from a negative affectivity disposition to a better understanding of threat appraisals and coping response options. Nurses should increase their awareness of the complexity of the phenomenon and of the interplay among the factors underlying PVV. The results of this study suggest that routine confusion and delirium assessments to rule out patients with ICU delirium in ICUs are important to preventing PVV. This study considers some of the implications of the research findings for nursing managers. Interventions, training programs, and/or management action should be used to ensure psychological and mental support is extended to all witnesses of PVV events and not only to those targeted by violence.

ICU Delirium in Cardiac Patients.

Delirium is a prevalent complication in critically ill medical and surgical cardiac patients. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, prolonged hospitalizations, cognitive impairments, functional decline, and hospital costs. The incidence of delirium in cardiac patients varies based on the criteria used for the diagnosis, the population studied, and the type of surgery (cardiac or not cardiac). Delirium experienced when cardiac patients are in the intensive care unit (ICU) is likely preventable in most cases. While there are many protocols for recognizing and managing ICU delirium in medical and surgical cardiac patients, there is no homogeneity, nor are there established clinical guidelines. This review provides a comprehensive overview of delirium in cardiac patients and highlights its presentation, course, risk factors, pathophysiology, and management. We define cardiac ICU patients as both medical and postoperative surgical patients with cardiac disease in the ICU. We also highlight current controversies and future considerations of innovative therapies and nonpharmacological and pharmacological management interventions. Clinicians caring for critically ill patients with cardiac disease must understand the complex syndrome of ICU delirium and recognize the impact of delirium in predicting long-term outcomes for ICU patients.

ICU Delirium Is Associated with Cardiovascular Burden and Higher Mortality in Patients with Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia.

COVID-19 can lead to functional disorders and complications, e.g., pulmonary, thromboembolic, and neurological. The neuro-invasive potential of SARS-CoV-2 may result in acute brain malfunction, which manifests as delirium as a symptom. Delirium is a risk factor for death among patients hospitalized due to critical illness. Taking the above into consideration, the authors investigated risk factors for delirium in COVID-19 patients and its influence on outcomes. A total of 335 patients hospitalized due to severe forms of COVID-19 were enrolled in the study. Data were collected from medical charts. Delirium occurred among 21.5% of patients. In the delirium group, mortality was significantly higher compared to non-delirium patients (59.7% vs. 28.5%; p < 0.001). Delirium increased the risk of death, with an OR of 3.71 (95% CI 2.16-6.89; p < 0.001). Age, chronic atrial fibrillation, elevated INR, urea, and procalcitonin, as well as decreased phosphates, appeared to be the independent risk factors for delirium occurrence. Delirium occurrence in patients with severe COVID-19 significantly increases the risk of death and is associated with a cardiovascular burden. Hypophosphatemia is a promising reversible factor to reduce mortality in this group of patients. However, larger studies are essential in this area.

Development and Validation of an ICU Delirium Playbook for Provider Education.

Building on our previous ICU Delirium Video Series, our interdisciplinary team developed a corresponding quiz to form a digital "ICU Delirium Playbook." Playbook content validity was evaluated by delirium experts, and face validity by an ICU nurse focus group. Additionally, focus group participants completed the quiz before and after video viewing. Remaining focus group concerns were evaluated in semi-structured follow-up interviews. Online validation survey, virtual focus group, and virtual interviews. The validation group included six delirium experts in the fields of critical care, geriatrics, nursing, and ICU education. The face validation group included nine ICU nurses, three of whom participated in the semi-structured feedback interviews. None. The 44-question quiz had excellent content validity (average scale-level content validity index [S-CVI] of individual items = 0.99, universal agreement S-CVI = 0.93, agreement κ ≥ 0.75, and clarity p ≥ 0.8). The focus group participants completed the Playbook in an average (sd) time of 53 (14) minutes, demonstrating significant improvements in pre-post quiz scores (74% vs 86%; p = 0.0009). Verbal feedback highlighted the conciseness, utility, and relevance of the Playbook, with all participants agreeing to deploy the digital education module in their ICUs. The ICU Delirium Playbook is a novel, first-of-its-kind asynchronous digital education tool aimed to standardize delirium detection and prevention practices. After a rigorous content and face validation process, the Playbook is now available for widespread use.

Relationship between in-hospital angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and Angiotensin receptor blockers administration and delirium in the cardiac ICU

ABSTRACT Objectives Delirium may be associated with neuroinflammation and reduced blood-brain barrier (BBB) stability. ACE Inhibitors (ACEIs) and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (ARBs) reduce neuroinflammation and stabilize the BBB, thus slowing the progression of memory loss in patients with dementia. This study evaluated the effect of these medications on delirium prevalence Methods This was a retrospective study of data from all patients admitted to a Cardiac ICU between 1 January 2020-31 December 2020. The presence of delirium was determined based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10 codes and nurse delirium screening. Results Of the 1684 unique patients, almost half developed delirium. Delirious patients who did not receive either ACEI or ARB had higher odds (odds ratio [OR] 5.88, 95% CI 3.7–9.09, P < .001) of in-hospital death and experienced significantly shorter ICU lengths of stay (LOS) (P = .01). There was no significant effect of medication exposure on the time to delirium onset. Conclusions While ACEIs and ARBs have been shown to slow the progression of memory loss for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, we did not observe a difference in time to delirium onset.

PupillOmetry for preDIction of DeliriUM in ICU (PODIUM): protocol for a prospective multicentre cohort study

IntroductionDelirium is a severe complication that is associated with short-term adverse events, prolonged hospital stay and neurological sequelae in survivors. Automated pupillometry is an easy-to-use device that allows for accurate...

Calibration of the PREdiction of DELIRium in ICu Patients (PRE-DELIRIC) Score in a Cohort of Critically Ill Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

To predict delirium in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, the Prediction of Delirium in ICU Patients (PRE-DELIRIC) score may be used. This model may help nurses to predict delirium in high-risk ICU patients. The aims of this study were to externally validate the PRE-DELIRIC model and to identify predictive factors and outcomes for ICU delirium. All patients underwent delirium risk assessment by the PRE-DELIRIC model at admission. We used the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Check List to identify patients with delirium. The receiver operating characteristic curve measured discrimination capacity among patients with or without ICU delirium. Calibration ability was determined by slope and intercept. The prevalence of ICU delirium was 55.8%. Discrimination capacity (Intensive Care Delirium Screening Check List score ≥4) expressed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.81 (95% confidence interval, 0.75-0.88), whereas sensitivity was 91.3% and specificity was 64.4%. The best cut-off was 27%, obtained by the max Youden index. Calibration of the model was adequate, with a slope of 1.03 and intercept of 8.14. The onset of ICU delirium was associated with an increase in ICU length of stay (P < .0001), higher ICU mortality (P = .008), increased duration of mechanical ventilation (P < .0001), and more prolonged respiratory weaning (P < .0001) compared with patients without delirium. The PRE-DELIRIC score is a sensitive measure that may be useful in early detection of patients at high risk for developing delirium. The baseline PRE-DELIRIC score could be useful to trigger use of standardized protocols, including nonpharmacologic interventions.

Intensive care unit delirium—a decade of learning

Intensive care unit delirium—a decade of learning

Nurses’ Knowledge and Ability to Diagnose Delirium in Intensive Care Units of Iraq Teaching Hospitals

Background: Timely diagnosis and effective treatment of delirium, a clinical syndrome, significantly impact the outcomes of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Despite its significance and prevalence, delirium continues to be underdiagnosed. This study aims to determine the knowledge and capability of ICU nurses in Iraq in recognizing delirium syndrome. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 154 nurses working in the ICUs of hospitals in Babylon, Al-Diwaniyah, and Karbala cities, Iraq, in 2022. The subjects were recruited by the census. The study data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, case vignettes, and the delirium knowledge questionnaire (DKQ) to assess participants’ characteristics, delirium recognition, and delirium knowledge. The data were analyzed using an independent t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS software, version 22. The significance level was set at P&lt;0.05. Results: The Mean±SD score of nurses’ overall knowledge was 46.73±14.34. The Mean±SD score for their understanding of delirium’s incidence, symptoms, signs, and effects was 43.57±17.70, whereas the Mean±SD score for knowledge of its risk factors and causes was 49.7±18.74. Their overall ability to recognize delirium had a Mean±SD score of 1.44±1.13. There was a significant relationship between knowledge of delirium, participation in a delirium training course (P=0.008), and work experience in ICUs (P=0.046). Conclusion: Given the results of our study, it is crucial to develop plans for increasing the knowledge and recognition ability of ICU nurses in Iraq regarding delirium.

Recognizing and Reducing Delirium in the Intensive Care Unit.

This article discusses a quality improvement study conducted on intensive care unit (ICU) staff nurses that assessed their ability to utilize the CAM-ICU tool for delirium detection properly. Staff members' expertise in identifying and managing delirious patients directly correlates with reducing the long-term sequelae associated with ICU delirium. The cohort of ICU nurses participating in this research study took a questionnaire on 4 separate occasions. The survey ascertained quantitative and qualitative data, reflecting personal knowledge about the CAM-ICU tool and delirium. After each round of assessment, group and one-on-one educational sessions were provided by the researchers. The study culminated with providing each staff member a delirium reference card (badge buddy) containing relevant and easily accessible clinical information that supported the ICU staff nurses in correctly implementing the CAM-ICU tool.

Impact of Abrupt Interruption of Home Psychotropic Medications at ICU Admission.

Background: Abrupt discontinuation of home psychotropic medications is common among critically ill patients but may precipitate clinically significant withdrawal. Objective: To determine the percent of patients with interruptions in home psychotropic medications upon intensive care unit (ICU) admission and to identify outcomes associated with these interruptions. Methods: This was an institutional review board-approved, single-center, retrospective study of critically ill patients with a history of mental illness taking an antipsychotic or antidepressant medication. The primary outcome was the percent of patients with interruption in at least one home psychotropic medication for ≥24 hours upon ICU admission. Secondary outcomes included time to psychotropic re-initiation, percent of home psychotropic medications restarted in the ICU, ICU length of stay (LOS), delirium, withdrawal-related complications, need for acute antipsychotics or benzodiazepines, and reasons for psychotropic interruption. Results: Among 183 patients, 93 (50.8%) had interruptions in home psychotropic therapy for ≥24 hours upon ICU admission. Mean time to reinitiation of at least one psychotropic agent was 1.4 days, and 16.4% of patients did not have any home psychotropics restarted. Patients with psychotropic interruption had a longer ICU LOS (P = 0.01) and greater incidence of ICU delirium (P < 0.01). Withdrawal-related complications were similar between groups. Acute antipsychotic use was greater in patients with psychotropic interruption (P < 0.01). Acute benzodiazepine use was not different between groups (P = 0.87). Most patients did not have a documented reason for therapy interruption. Conclusion and Relevance: Unless contraindicated, clinicians should attempt to restart home psychotropic medications as soon as possible in critically ill patients.

The role of hormones in the pathogenesis and treatment mechanisms of delirium in ICU: The past, the present, and the future

Delirium is an acute brain dysfunction. As one of the common psychiatric disorders in ICU, it can seriously affect the prognosis of patients. Hormones are important messenger substances found in the human body that help to regulate and maintain the function and metabolism of various tissues and organs. They are also one of the most commonly used drugs in clinical practice. Recent evidences suggest that aberrant swings in cortisol and non-cortisol hormones might induce severe cognitive impairment, eventually leading to delirium. However, the role of hormones in the pathogenesis of delirium still remains controversial. This article reviews the recent research on risk factors of delirium and the association between several types of hormones and cognitive dysfunction. These mechanisms are expected to offer novel ideas and clinical relevance for the treatment and prevention of delirium.

Features of Risk Factors associated with ICU Delirium - Literature Review

Features of Risk Factors associated with ICU Delirium - Literature Review

Stuck in the Dark: No Association between Light, Sound, and Delirium in the PICU

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between sound and light variables and development of delirium in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients within the subsequent 3 days. Light and sound were continuously measured, and patient-specific data were collected daily. Outcomes included presence of delirium, determined by Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium (CAPD) score ≥ 9 on at least 1 day, and development of delirium in the subsequent 3 days. One hundred and forty-two patients were enrolled, totaling 896 study days. Delirium prevalence was 31%. Neurologic diagnosis, younger age, longer PICU stay, restraints, benzodiazepines, opiate infusion, and dexmedetomidine were associated with delirium. Nighttime sound peaks (&gt;70 and &gt;80 dB) were not associated with delirium (p = 0.94 and 0.36, respectively). Light intensity during midday hours (12:00, 1:00, 2:00 pm) was not associated with the development of delirium (p=0.93, 0.81, 0.83, respectively), nor was maximum light at night, difference between maximum daytime and nighttime light, or between maximum and minimum daytime light (p = 0.15, 0.46, and 0.96, respectively). When adjusting for covariables, none of the sound or light variables was associated with delirium. Despite increasing awareness of pediatric delirium, data surrounding modifiable risk factors and concrete treatment strategies are lacking. We found no significant association between light or sound and development of delirium in PICU patients. However, there was little difference between daytime and nighttime light and sound, which may have impacted findings. As the etiology of delirium is multifactorial and potentially different for individual patients, targeted light/dark cycles warrant further study as they relate to delirium and critical illness.