Pharmacologic Treatment of Intensive Care Unit Delirium and the Impact on Duration of Delirium, Length of Intensive Care Unit Stay, Length of Hospitalization, and 28-Day Mortality

Abstract

Objective

To determine whether treatment of delirium affects outcomes.

Patients and Methods

A retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit (ICU) from July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016, was conducted. Patients with ICU delirium, defined by a positive Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU score, were included. Patients were stratified into 4 treatment groups based on exposure to melatonin and antipsychotic agents during ICU stay: no pharmacologic treatment, melatonin only, antipsychotics only, and both melatonin and antipsychotics. A time-dependent cause-specific hazards model with death as a competing risk was used to evaluate the effect of melatonin or antipsychotic drug use for delirium on duration of ICU delirium, length of ICU stay, and length of hospitalization. A logistic regression was used to evaluate 28-day mortality. Covariates significantly associated with exposure to melatonin and antipsychotics were included in the minimally adjusted model. Covariates significantly associated in the minimally adjusted model were included in a final adjusted model.

Results

A total of 449 admissions to the medical ICU were included in the analysis. Exposure to melatonin or antipsychotic agents did not reduce the duration of ICU delirium, ICU/hospital length of stay, or 28-day mortality. However, antipsychotic use only was associated with longer hospitalization.

Conclusion

Antipsychotic drugs for the treatment ICU delirium may not provide the benefit documented in earlier literature. Further investigation on patient selection, type of antipsychotic, and dosing is needed.