Abstract
BACKGROUND: There have been only a small number of studies that have evaluated the outcome of post-stroke delirium. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of gender, age, stroke localization, delirium severity, previous illnesses, associated medical complications on delirium outcome as well as, to determine effects of delirium on cognitive functioning one year after stroke. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Comprehensive neuropsychological assessments were performed within the first week of stroke onset, at hospital discharge, and followed-up for 3, 6 and 12 months after stroke. We used diagnostic tools such as Glazgow Coma Scale, Delirium Rating Scale, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and Mini-Mental State. RESULTS: Patients who developed post-stroke delirium had significantly more complications (p = 0.0005). Direct logistic regression was performed to assess the impact of several factors on the likelihood that patients will die. The strongest predictor of outcome was age, mean age ≥ 65 years with a odds ratio (OR) 4.9. Cox's regression survival was conducted to assess the impact of multiple factors on survival. The accompanying medical complications were the strongest predictor of respondents poore outcome with Hazard-risk 3.3. Cognitive assessments including Mini Mental State score have showen that post-stroke delirium patients had significant cognitive impairment, three (p = 0.0005), six months (p = 0.0005) and one year (p = 0.0005) after stroke, compared to patients without delirium. CONCLUSION: Patient gender, age, localization of stroke, severity of delirium, chronic diseases and emerging complications significantly affect the outcome of post- stroke delirium. Delirium significantly reduced cognitive functioning of after stroke patients.