Evaluation of Delirium Screening Tools for the Detection of Post-stroke Delirium

For a long time, delirium was considered a merely temporary dysfunction of the brain. Today, it is established that it is a brain disease associated with network dysfunction, neuroinflammation and impaired transmitter homeostasis in a multicausal model. Following an episode of delirium, many patients do not return to their prior level of cognitive and functional performance. In particular, failed or delayed diagnosis with consecutive inadequate therapy contribute to the development of long-term cognitive decline that may ultimately lead to long-term care. Stroke patients are a particularly common delirium-affected population (10-46% depending on severity). Despite the frequency and clinical relevance of delirium in stroke patients, diagnostic characteristics of common screening methods are unknown. Similarly, the clinical phenotype and risk factors of patients who develop delirium have not been adequately described.

This study primarily aims to evaluate the diagnostic properties of established screening tools for delirium in a prospective cohort of well-characterised patients following ischemic cerebral events (either transient or manifest stroke). Secondary outcome criteria include predictors of post-stroke delirium (PSD) such as stroke location and size, pre-stroke cognitive functioning, ability to participate in daily routine activities and medical conditions.