In the first study of its kind, researchers say half of patients undergoing stem cell transplantation exhibit signs of delirium, but the warning signs are subtler and can be easily missed by clinicians. The study, which appears in the February 15, 2005 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, says the level of distress, fatigue, and pain are associated with the severity of delirium.
Delirium is a temporary, acute change in a patient’s level of consciousness and cognition or perception that is caused by a medical condition. Classically, clinicians identify delirium by the presence of hallucinations, delusions, agitation, and disorientation. However, delirium appears to present itself in two prognostic categories: transient with less clinical significance and prolonged with greater clinical significance. Delirium is associated with a higher risk of falls, wound infections, and aspiration pneumonia. In cancer patients, delirium is further associated with increased risk of death during hospitalization and within five years of follow-up. While treatable with medications and appropriate care, delirium is underdiagnosed and undertreated, which can result in poor outcomes, patient and caregiver distress, and over-utilization of healthcare resources.
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