ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Delirium is an acute, fluctuating change in mental status, often associated with behavioral manifestations such as agitation. Literature suggests that many patients who continue on antipsychotics for extended management of delirium are not provided instructions for discontinuation. However, there is a positive correlation between consult services and instructions for discontinuation. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency at which patients with delirium were prescribed an antipsychotic at hospital discharge and to characterize discharge antipsychotic prescribing for psychiatric consult and nonconsult cohorts. METHODS: This study was a retrospective chart review of adult patients with an International Classification of Diseases 10th revision code of delirium who received at least 1 dose of antipsychotic during their admission. Inclusion criteria were all patients aged 18 years or older with a diagnosis of or relating to delirium who were administered antipsychotics during their admission. RESULTS: A total of 152 patients were included, of which 43 received a psychiatric consult. Antipsychotics were prescribed at discharge for management of delirium for 52 (34.2%) of 152 total patients. More patients in the psychiatric consult cohort were discharged with an antipsychotic as compared to those in the nonconsult cohort (53.3% vs 26.6%, P = .02). DISCUSSION: Compared to previous studies, patients in this retrospective review were more likely to be discharged on an antipsychotic that was initiated during admission for management of delirium. Findings from this study also align with prior research demonstrating a positive association between antipsychotic discharge instructions and specialty consult recommendations.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the leading cause of thiamine deficiency and can lead to Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE). WE has a higher prevalence of development in patients with AUD, and current recommendations emphasize parenteral administration of thiamine. Our objective was to characterize thiamine utilization in patients with AUD who were prescribed thiamine and evaluate if those who received oral thiamine had risk factors for the development of WE. METHODS: This retrospective chart review enrolled adults admitted to a psychiatric hospital from October 2014 through September 2015 diagnosed with AUD as per the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition (ICD-9). The cohort was divided on the basis of route of thiamine administration (nonparenteral vs. parenteral) and was then screened retrospectively for risk factors for WE. Descriptive data and measures of central tendency were utilized to assess the objectives. RESULTS: The majority of patients were white male individuals, with a mean age of 48 years. Of the 226 patients, 201 (89%) were prescribed oral thiamine. Of the first 100 patients who received oral thiamine, 36% had risk factors for WE, with the most common risk factor being malnutrition. A χ analysis revealed that WE risk factors did not influence route of thiamine administration (χ=2.148, df=1, P=0.143). No patients were diagnosed with WE during their admission; however, 8 patients received parenteral thiamine at a treatment dose indicated for WE. CONCLUSIONS: Parenteral thiamine is underutilized in patients with AUD and risk factors for WE. Education is needed to enhance thiamine prescribing and evaluation of risk factors for WE in this population. A thiamine prescribing protocol has been developed for further thiamine optimization.
