Delirium as a predictor of mortality and disability among hospitalized patients in Zambia

OBJECTIVE: To study the epidemiology and outcomes of delirium among hospitalized patients in Zambia. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia, from October 2017 to April 2018. The primary exposure was delirium duration over the initial 3 days of hospitalization, assessed daily using the Brief Confusion Assessment Method. The primary outcome was 6-month mortality. Secondary outcomes included 6-month disability, evaluated using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0. FINDINGS: 711 adults were included (median age, 39 years; 461 men; 459 medical, 252 surgical; 323 with HIV). Delirium prevalence was 48.5% (95% CI, 44.8%-52.3%). 6-month mortality was higher for delirious participants (44.6% [39.3%-50.1%]) versus non-delirious participants (20.0% [15.4%-25.2%]; P < .001). After adjusting for covariates, delirium duration independently predicted 6-month mortality and disability with a significant dose-response association between number of days with delirium and odds of worse clinical outcome. Compared to no delirium, presence of 1, 2 or 3 days of delirium resulted in odds ratios for 6-month mortality of 1.43 (95% CI, 0.73–2.80), 2.20 (1.07–4.51), and 3.92 (2.24–6.87), respectively (P < .001). Odds of 6-month disability were 1.20 (0.70–2.05), 1.73 (0.95–3.17), and 2.80 (1.78–4.43), respectively (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Among hospitalized medical and surgical patients in Zambia, delirium prevalence was high and delirium duration independently predicted mortality and disability at 6 months. This work lays the foundation for prevention, detection, and management of delirium in low-income countries. Long-term follow up of outcomes of critical illness in resource-limited settings appears feasible using the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule.