Delirium in 405 articles of medical (non-surgical or ICU) inpatients: unproven speed of onset and recovery

摘要

PurposeThere is agreement in the medical literature that delirium is of sudden or rapid onset. Although the speed of recovery cannot be used for initial diagnosis, recovery speed provides a test of diagnostic criteria. The aim of this study was to determine whether articles on delirium among medical inpatients proved sudden onset and rapid recovery.