Delirium and its association with short-term outcomes in younger and older patients with acute heart failure

Younger patients (18 to 65 years old) are often excluded from delirium outcome studies. We sought to determine if delirium was associated with short-term adverse outcomes in a diverse cohort of younger and older patients with acute heart failure (AHF). We conducted a multi-center prospective cohort study that included adult emergency department patients with confirmed AHF. Delirium was ascertained using the Brief Confusion Assessment Method (bCAM). The primary outcome was a composite outcome of 30-day all-cause death, 30-day all-cause rehospitalization, and prolonged index hospital length of stay. Multivariable logistic regression was performed, adjusting for demographics, cognitive impairment without delirium, and HF risk factors. Older age (≥ 65 years old)*delirium interaction was also incorporated into the model. Odds ratios (OR) with their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were reported. A total of 1044 patients with AHF were enrolled; 617 AHF patients were < 65 years old and 427 AHF patients were ≥ 65 years old, and 47 (7.6%) and 40 (9.4%) patients were delirious at enrollment, respectively. Delirium was significantly associated with the composite outcome (adjusted OR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.02 to 2.64). The older age*delirium interaction p-value was 0.47. In conclusion, delirium was common in both younger and older patients with AHF and was associated with poorer short-term outcomes in both cohorts. Younger patients with acute heart failure should be included in future delirium outcome studies.