Browse by author
Lookup NU author(s): Dr Emma Vardy
Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.
Background Delirium is common and is associated with an increased risk of dementia. However, it is not clear whether delirium confers increased risk of any particular type of dementia. We performed a retrospective study of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) to ascertain whether a suspected episode of preceding delirium was more common prior to diagnosis in either type of dementia. Methods The study was carried out in a tertiary referral unit for the diagnosis of dementia. Clinic letters from the first presentation to the unit of 85 cases with DLB and 95 cases of AD were reviewed for documentation of any previous episodes of suspected delirium. Results In this study, 25% of DLB cases had at least one reported episode of suspected delirium as compared to 7% of AD cases (p = 0.001). For the DLB cases who had a prior suspected delirium, 23% had more than one episode compared with 14% of the AD group. The median time between most recent suspected episode of delirium and diagnosis of dementia in both groups was less than a year. Conclusions A greater proportion of those presenting and diagnosed with DLB had a documentation of a suspected delirium than those diagnosed with AD. Delirium may lead to a higher risk of DLB as opposed to other forms of dementia, or delirium may, at least in some cases, represent the early stages of DLB. These data suggest that a diagnosis of DLB should be specifically considered in those presenting with a delirium.
Author(s): Vardy E, Holt R, Gerhard A, Richardson A, Snowden J, Neary D
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
Year: 2014
Volume: 29
Issue: 2
Pages: 178-181
Print publication date: 31/05/2013
ISSN (print): 0885-6230
ISSN (electronic): 1099-1166
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/gps.3986
DOI: 10.1002/gps.3986
PubMed id: 23722989
Altmetrics provided by Altmetric
