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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit
Published on: September 30, 2020
Impact of delirium on short-term mortality in elderly inpatients: a prospective cohort study
Matías González1, Gabriel Martínez, Jorge Calderón
1Psychiatry Department, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago-Chile RM, Chile.
Background:
Delirium is an important problem especially in older medical inpatients.
Objective:
The authors asked whether delirium and its duration are associated with higher mortality in a 3-month follow-up period.
Method:
In this prospective cohort study, inpatients age 65 and older were assessed every 48 hours with the Confusion Assessment Method.
Results:
Of 542 patients enrolled, 192 (35.4%) developed delirium. After 3 months, mortality in the delirium cohort was 25.9%, and in the nondelirium cohort was 5.8%. Delirium was independently associated with mortality, and increased by 11% for every 48 hours of delirium.
Conclusion:
Delirium and increased delirium durations are significantly associated with higher mortality.
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