Approximately 2.7 million Americans aged 65 and older spent at least one day in the intensive care unit (ICU) costing MEDICARE a total of $27.5 billion. Up to 80% of these older ICU patients had delirium during their hospital stay that affects negatively and independently their hospital related health outcomes. Older adults with delirium receive potentially harmful medications such as anticholinergics and benzodiazepines and are more prone to falls, injuries, pressure ulcers and restraints than their counterparts with no delirium. These complications contribute to prolonged ICU and hospital length of stay, higher mortality rates, poorer functional status, limited rehabilitation, increased institutionalization, and higher health care costs. Currently, there is no FDA-approved pharmacological compound to reduce mortality and morbidity related to delirium. Disturbances in several neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, dopamine, glutamate, serotonin, norepinephrine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), have been suggested to be involved in the pathophysiology of delirium. These neurotransmitters are put forward as potential targets for the development of pharmacological therapeutics for delirium. However, the strongest data supports a critical therapeutic role for acetylcholine enhancement, GABA reduction, and dopamine reduction. Pharmaco-epidemiological studies and scattered randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that the pharmacological management of delirium among older adults is complicated and may need to include a combination of a reduction in the use of benzodiazepines and anticholinergics, along with the use of low dose neuroleptics such as haloperidol. However, there have been no randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of such a pharmacological management on reducing delirium severity, duration, and its related complications. This proposal is seeking funding to conduct a randomized controlled trial that would evaluate the efficacy of a pharmacological protocol for delirium that includes 1) a reduction of exposure to anticholinergic medications;2) a reduction of exposure to benzodiazepines;and 3) daily use of a low dose of haloperidol. The primary outcomes of the study are delirium severity, as measured by the Delirium Rating Scale (DRS-R-98);and delirium duration as measured by the Confusion Assessment Method in the ICU (CAM-ICU).

Public Health Relevance

Hospitalized older adults suffering from Delirium are a vulnerable and rapidly growing segment of our patient population, especially those admitted to the Intensive Care Units. During their hospital and ICU stay, these patients are prone to develop various hospital acquired complications such as falls, injuries, pressure ulcers, and restraints. Subsequently, these complications contribute to mortality, poorer functional status, limited rehabilitation, prolonged length of stay, increased institutionalization, and higher health care costs. Evidence suggests that a specific disturbance in the neurotransmitter function is involved in the pathophysiology of delirium and that modifying the levels of these neurotransmitters may decrease the severity and duration of delirium and thus improving mortality and morbidity of patients with delirium. The primary goal of this proposal is to conduct a randomized controlled clinical trial that will evaluate the efficacy of a multi-component pharmacological intervention in reducing delirium severity and duration and subsequently decrease ICU and hospital length of stay. A major advantage of the proposed individualized intervention is reducing exposure to potentially harmful medications and using low dose of haloperidol during the critical early days of ICU care.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AG034205-03
Application #
8281513
Study Section
Nursing Science: Adults and Older Adults Study Section (NSAA)
Program Officer
Wagster, Molly V
Project Start
2010-05-01
Project End
2015-04-30
Budget Start
2012-05-01
Budget End
2013-04-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$501,331
Indirect Cost
$64,915
Name
Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
603007902
City
Indianapolis
State
IN
Country
United States
Zip Code
46202
Khan, Babar A; Perkins, Anthony J; Gao, Sujuan et al. (2017) The Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU-7 Delirium Severity Scale: A Novel Delirium Severity Instrument for Use in the ICU. Crit Care Med 45:851-857
Khan, Babar A; Perkins, Anthony; Hui, Siu L et al. (2016) Relationship Between African-American Race and Delirium in the ICU. Crit Care Med 44:1727-34
Orman, Eric S; Perkins, Anthony; Ghabril, Marwan et al. (2015) The confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit in patients with cirrhosis. Metab Brain Dis 30:1063-71
Nazir, Arif; Khan, Babar; Counsell, Steven et al. (2015) Impact of an inpatient geriatric consultative service on outcomes for cognitively impaired patients. J Hosp Med 10:275-80
Khan, Babar A; Lasiter, Sue; Boustani, Malaz A (2015) CE: critical care recovery center: an innovative collaborative care model for ICU survivors. Am J Nurs 115:24-31; quiz 34, 46
Khan, Babar A; Fadel, William F; Tricker, Jason L et al. (2014) Effectiveness of implementing a wake up and breathe program on sedation and delirium in the ICU. Crit Care Med 42:e791-5
Campbell, Noll L; Cantor, Braca B; Hui, Siu L et al. (2014) Race and documentation of cognitive impairment in hospitalized older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 62:506-11
Calvo-Ayala, Enrique; Khan, Babar A; Farber, Mark O et al. (2013) Interventions to improve the physical function of ICU survivors: a systematic review. Chest 144:1469-1480
Khan, Babar A; Calvo-Ayala, Enrique; Campbell, Noll et al. (2013) Clinical decision support system and incidence of delirium in cognitively impaired older adults transferred to intensive care. Am J Crit Care 22:257-62
Nazir, Arif; LaMantia, Michael; Chodosh, Joshua et al. (2013) Interaction between cognitive impairment and discharge destination and its effect on rehospitalization. J Am Geriatr Soc 61:1958-63

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