The Delirium Rating Scale in a psychogeriatric inpatient setting

J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1994 Winter;6(1):30-5. doi: 10.1176/jnp.6.1.30.

Abstract

The Delirium Rating Scale (DRS) has been shown to be a valid instrument for identifying and grading the severity of delirium in patients admitted to a general hospital for medical or surgical treatment. However, its accuracy in identifying delirium among elderly patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital for evaluation and treatment of psychiatric illness has not been previously addressed. The DRS was administered to 791 elderly patients who were consecutively admitted to a psychogeriatric unit; 70 met DSM-III-R criteria for delirium. A DRS threshold score of > or = 10 correctly identified delirious patients with a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 82%. Both psychosis and cognitive impairment appeared to falsely elevate the DRS score in this population.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Delirium / diagnosis*
  • Delirium / psychology
  • Delirium / rehabilitation
  • Dementia / diagnosis
  • Dementia / psychology
  • Electroencephalography
  • Geriatric Assessment
  • Hospitalization
  • Hospitals, Psychiatric
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurocognitive Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Neurocognitive Disorders / psychology
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales*
  • Reproducibility of Results