Screening for delirium with the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC): Symptom profile and utility of individual items in the identification of delirium dependent on the level of sedation

Of 225 patients evaluated, 88 were diagnosed with delirium in an intensive care setting.

• Delirium was correctly identified by symptoms such as inattention, disorientation, and psychomotor changes, regardless of sedation level.
• In drowsy patients, inattention showed substantial sensitivity and specificity, while psychomotor alterations and sleep-wake cycle disturbances were sensitive but lacked specificity.
• In alert and calm patients, substantial sensitivity was observed for psychomotor alterations and symptom fluctuations, though these fluctuations were not specific.
• The positive predictive value was substantial across items, while the negative predictive value was moderate in drowsy patients and substantial in alert patients.
• Drowsiness in patients was linked to altered consciousness, though symptom profiles were similar between nondelirious drowsy and alert patients.

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