Delirium in the intensive care setting: A reevaluation of the validity of the CAM–ICU and ICDSC versus the DSM–IV–TR in determining a diagnosis of delirium as part of the daily clinical routine

Abstract

In the daily clinical routine, neither the CAM-ICU nor the ICDSC, common tools used in screening and detecting delirium in the intensive care setting, reached sufficient concurrent validity; nor did they outperform the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria with respect to sensitivity or positive prediction, but they were very specific. Thus, the non-prediction by the CAM-ICU or ICDSC did not refute the presence of delirium. Between the CAM-ICU and ICDSC, the ICDSC proved to be the more accurate instrument.