A Longitudinal Study of Delirium Motor Subtypes in Elderly Medical Inpatients

Introduction: Delirium is a common syndrome with considerable clinical heterogeneity that includes a variety of motor subtypes. Because the phenotypes of delirium typically fluctuate, understanding the longitudinal stability of subtypes is crucial to evaluate their relevance for treatment and outcome.Aims & objectives: To examine the changes (variability) in motor subtype profile in patients with delirium.Methodology: Observational, longitudinal study of elderly medical patients admitted to Sligo University Hospital. Measurements: Delirium Motor Subtype Scale (DMSS), DRS-R98, and assessments of comorbidity and function.Results: 58 out of 198 participants developed delirium (prevalence and incident). Mean age (n=58) equal 84.02 (SD 6.5), 27 (46.6%) females.The hyperactive subtype and no subtype n=20 (34.5%) were identified as the most common, followed by hypoactive n=15 (25.9%), and mixed subtype n=3 (5.2%), at the first assessment. The 'no subtype' had lower DRS-R98 scores when compared to other subtypes (p-values