Associations of Delirium to Posthospital Outcomes After Acute Stroke: A Scoping Review

Background: Delirium is a common and distressing manifestation of acute brain dysfunction that is associated with poor outcomes in various critically ill patient populations. Although patients with acute stroke experience delirium, understanding of delirium in this population is limited. The purpose of this scoping review is to describe existing evidence about delirium and associations with posthospital outcomes after acute stroke. Methods: Arksey and O'Malley's 5-stage framework was used to perform a scoping review. PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE electronic databases were searched. Outcome domains of interest included mortality, cognitive function, physical function, mental health, and quality of life. Full-text, peer-reviewed articles with adult stroke sample populations (acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage) were included. Results: Nineteen articles, involving 5611 unique patients, were included. Most sample populations included patients with either acute ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage. Heterogeneous research aims, methods, and outcome measures limit the ability to compare specific findings across studies. However, included studies suggest higher mortality at 12 months, worse cognition, and greater functional impairment in patients who have experienced acute stroke and delirium. Limited information regarding associations of delirium with posthospital mental health outcomes and quality of life precluded the ability to analyze these relationships and warrants further investigation. Conclusion: This review suggests concerning findings about associations of delirium to posthospital outcomes after acute stroke. Better characterization of delirium after acute stroke and analysis of its impact on long-term outcomes are needed.