A Scoping Review of the Incidence, Predictors, and Outcomes of Delirium Among Critically Ill Stroke Patients

BACKGROUND: Delirium is a common, often iatrogenically induced syndrome that may impede the physical, cognitive, and psychological recovery of critically ill adults. The effect delirium has on outcomes of intensive care unit patients having acute neurologic injury remains unclear because previous studies frequently exclude this vulnerable population. The aim of this scoping review was to describe the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of delirium among adults admitted to an intensive care unit experiencing an acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, or aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched with the terms (1) stroke, (2) critical care, and (3) delirium. Inclusion criteria were original peer-reviewed research reporting the incidence, outcomes, or predictors of delirium after acute stroke among critically ill adults. Editorials, reviews, posters, conference proceedings, abstracts, and studies in which stroke was not the primary reason for admission were excluded. Title and abstract screening, full-text review, and data extraction were performed by 2 authors, with disagreements adjudicated by a third author. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 1051 results. Eighteen studies met eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Stroke type was not mutually exclusive and included persons given a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke (11), intracerebral hemorrhage (12), aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (8), and other (1) strokes. Incidence of delirium among stroke patients ranged from 12% to 75%. Predictors of delirium included older age, preexisting dementia, higher severity of illness, and physical restraint use. Outcomes associated with delirium included higher mortality, longer length of stay, worse cognition and quality of life, and lower functional status. CONCLUSIONS: Current findings are limited by heterogenous populations, assessments, and measurement parameters. Detection and management of delirium among critically ill stroke patients requires an approach with specific considerations to the complexities of acute neurological injury and concomitant critical illness.

Automated summary

The incidence of delirium among stroke patients ranged from 12% to 75%, with predictors including older age, preexisting dementia, higher severity of illness, and physical restraint use. Outcomes associated with delirium included higher mortality, longer length of stay, worse cognition and quality of life, and lower functional status.