The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences
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J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci · Jan 2003
Comparative StudyAn empirical study of different diagnostic criteria for delirium among elderly medical inpatients.
This study compared the sensitivity and specificity of DSM-IV criteria for delirium with the sensitivity and specificity of DSM-III and ICD-10 criteria among elderly medical inpatients with or without dementia. Secondary objectives were to examine the effect of changing the definition of criterion A on sensitivity and specificity and to compare the sensitivity and specificity of different numbers of symptoms of delirium. A total of 322 elderly patients who had been admitted from the emergency department to the medical services were classified into one of four groups using DSM-III-R criteria: delirium and dementia (n = 128), delirium only (n = 40), dementia only (n = 94), and neither (n = 60). ⋯ The results were similar among patients with or without dementia. The lower specificity of DSM-IV was accounted for by its inclusion of patients who did not show disorganized thinking. DSM-IV criteria for delirium are the most inclusive criteria to date for elderly medical patients with or without dementia.
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Rarely reported in pediatric patients, the characteristic symptoms and course of delirium are well known in adults. This retrospective study was undertaken to describe the clinical presentation, symptoms, and outcome of delirium in children and adolescents. ⋯ Mortality was high (20%), and length of stay was prolonged. Symptoms of psychosis and disorientation were less characteristic, but overall the presentation and course of delirium were similar to adults, and the current Diagnostic and Standard Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) criteria were found applicable in the pediatric population.
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J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci · Jan 2003
Biography Historical ArticleNeurodegenerative disorders: George Huntington's description of hereditary chorea.