Long-Term Outcomes after Delirium in the ICU: Addressing Gaps in Our Knowledge

Devin and Needham explain that Fiest et al make an important contribution via their population-based study evaluating the association of ICU delirium and mortality over up to 2.5 years of follow up in 12,137 adults consecutively admitted >24 hours to any of the 14 medical-surgical ICUs in the province of Alberta Canada (population: 4.4 million). During the 2.5-year study period, delirium occurrence was associated with an increased risk for emergency department visits, hospital readmissions, or death after the index hospitalization. Although not evaluated in the paper by Fiest et al, multicomponent ICU quality-improvement interventions, supported by the Pain, Agitation/Sedation, Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep clinical practice guidelines, are associated with reductions in ICU delirium, hospital mortality, and ICU readmissions.