BACKGROUND: Delirium is a common neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with high morbidity. Circadian disruption is increasingly recognized as a core feature of delirium. However, the circadian-delirium connection remains underexplored.
OBJECTIVE: This systematic review examined the relationship between circadian dysfunction and delirium to identify specific metrics of circadian disturbances in delirium and evaluate the influence of specific interventions or environmental variables on the course of delirium.
METHODS: This review is reported per Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched from the start of literature databases through October 2024. Original articles regarding human studies in English were included. Qualitative data for observational and interventional studies were extracted and synthesized.
RESULTS: 1908 articles were retrieved, and 58 met inclusion criteria. 34 studies examined dysrhythmic circadian functioning in relation to delirium using a variety of methods, and 22 studied the effects of nonpharmacologic and/or pharmacologic interventions or exposures with circadian-modifying potential on the course of delirium. Two studies utilized both interventional and observational methods. Amongst physiologic biomarkers, salivary, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid melatonin were the most frequently studied. However, changes in their levels or rhythms were not reliably linked with delirium. Fluctuations in serum cortisol and urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin were more often connected with the onset or course of delirium, though these hormones were infrequently studied. Actigraphy, polysomnography, and electroencephalography frequently detected differences in sleep and circadian parameters in the setting of delirium. Among interventions, bright light therapy shows promise for delirium prevention and potential for larger studies given its relative efficacy, replicability, and low cost. Oral melatonergic agents were inconsistent in efforts to prevent or treat delirium.
CONCLUSIONS: Delirium's association with circadian dysfunction remains complex and incompletely characterized. Larger, methodologically rigorous studies with multimodal environmental and physiologic measures are needed to clarify this association and guide circadian-informed prevention and treatment strategies.
