How accurate is the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) for diagnosing delirium in adult patients in critical care units?

Delirium is a behavioral manifestation of acute brain dysfunction that is common in ICUs, affecting from 31% to 80% of critically ill patients.1,2  Characterized by inattention, altered consciousness, and disorganized thinking, delirium is associated with several serious adverse outcomes including longer duration of mechanical ventilation, increased ICU and hospital length of stay, long-term cognitive impairment, and higher risk of death.3  Thus, a validated, effective, and user-friendly tool is needed to help assess delirium so that clinical teams can provide timely and adequate treatment. One such tool, recommended by the Society of Critical Care Medicine, is the CAM-ICU.4 

The CAM-ICU has its origins in the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), which was developed in 1990 to assist nonpsychiatrists in performing bedside delirium assessments. In...

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