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Background: Little is known about the incidence of delirium and its subtypes in patients admitted to different departments of university hospitals in Latin America., Objective: To determine the incidence of delirium and the frequency of its subtypes, as well as its associated factors, in patients admitted to different departments of a university hospital in Bogotá, Colombia., Methods: A cohort of patients over 18 years of age admitted to the internal medicine (IM), geriatrics (GU), general surgery (GSU), orthopaedics (OU) and intensive care unit (ICU) services of a university hospital was followed up between January and June 2018. To detect the presence of delirium, we used the CAM (Confusion Assessment Method) and the CAM-ICU if the patient had decreased communication skills. The delirium subtype was characterised using the RASS (Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale). Patients were assessed on their admission date and then every two days until discharged from the hospital. Those in whom delirium was identified were referred for specialised intra-institutional interdisciplinary management., Results: A total of 531 patients admitted during the period were assessed. The overall incidence of delirium was 12% (95% CI, 0.3-14.8). They represented 31.8% of patients in the GU, 15.6% in the ICU, 8.7% in IM, 5.1% in the OU, and 3.9% in the GSU. The most frequent clinical display was the mixed subtype, at 60.9%, followed by the normoactive subtype (34.4%) and the hypoactive subtype (4.7%). The factors most associated with delirium were age (adjusted RR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.05-1.09), the presence of four or more comorbidities (adjusted RR = 2.04; 95% CI, 1.31-3.20), and being a patient in the ICU (adjusted RR = 2.02; 95% CI, 1.22-3.35)., Conclusions: The incidence of delirium is heterogeneous in the different departments of the university hospital. The highest incidence occurred in patients that were admitted to the GU. The mixed subtype was the most frequent one, and the main associated factors were age, the presence of four or more comorbidities, and being an ICU patient., (Copyright © 2022 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Healthcare workers facing the COVID-19 pandemic have experienced unexpectedly traumatic situations associated with concerns about the possibility of acquiring the infection, excessive workloads, and the increased inpatient mortality rates. The objective was to make changes in hospital practices that facilitate spaces for the well-being of healthcare worker teams., Methods: We conducted an ongoing intervention during the first year of this outbreak. We established peer support groups by videoconference and individual virtual interventions for specialist physicians, resident physicians, nurses, and support personnel, focusing on problems and emotions related to the psychological impact of being on the clinical front line working with patients with pneumonia due to SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)., Results: The group work helped the expression of feelings, peer support, and validation of personal emotional experience. The participants expressed the need for physical and psychological security in the battle against COVID-19 and the need for interpersonal ties and giving meaning to their experiences., Conclusions: Based on our findings, we consider it necessary to investigate the potentially traumatic experiences of healthcare workers and provide evidence-based knowledge that can generate novel approaches in psychosocial support work structures for this group., (© 2021 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe pharmacological and non-pharmacological practices for delirium, carried out by psychiatry residents and psychiatrists in Colombia., Methods: An anonymous survey was conducted based on the consensus of experts of the Liaison Psychiatry Committee of the Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría [Colombian Psychiatric Association] and on the literature review. It was sent by email to the association members., Results: 101 clinicians participated. Non-pharmacological preventive measures such as psychoeducation, correction of sensory problems or sleep hygiene are performed by 70% or more. Only about 1 in 10 participants are part of an institutional multi-component prevention programme. The preventive prescription of drugs was less than 20%. Regarding non-pharmacological treatment, more than 75% recommend correction of sensory difficulties, control of stimuli and reorientation. None of the participants indicated that the care at their centres is organised to enhance non-pharmacological treatment. 17.8% do not use medication in the treatment of delirium. Those who use it prefer haloperidol or quetiapine, particularly in hyperactive or mixed motor subtypes., Conclusions: The practices of the respondents coincide with those of other experts around the world. In general, non-pharmacological actions are individual initiatives, which demonstrates the need in Colombian health institutions to commit to addressing delirium, in particular when its prevalence and consequences are indicators of quality of care., (Copyright © 2020 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

The pandemic caused by the new coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 poses unprecedented challenges in the health care. Among them is the increase in cases of delirium. The severe SARS-CoV-2 disease, COVID-19, has common vulnerabilities with delirium and produces alterations in organs such as the lungs or the brain, among others, which have the potential to trigger the mental disorder. In fact, delirium may be the first manifestation of the infection, before fever, general malaise, cough or respiratory disturbances. It is widely supported that delirium increases the morbidity and mortality in those who suffer from it during hospitalization, so it should be actively sought to carry out the relevant interventions. In the absence of evidence on the approach to delirium in the context of COVID-19, this consensus was developed on three fundamental aspects: diagnosis, non-pharmacological treatment and pharmacological treatment, in patients admitted to the general hospital. The document contains recommendations on the systematic use of diagnostic tools, when to hospitalize the patient with delirium, the application of non-pharmacological actions within the restrictions imposed by COVID-19, and the use of antipsychotics, taking into account the most relevant side effects and pharmacological interactions., (Copyright © 2020 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe pharmacological and non-pharmacological practices for delirium, carried out by psychiatry residents and psychiatrists in Colombia., Methods: An anonymous survey was conducted based on the consensus of experts of the Liaison Psychiatry Committee of the Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría [Colombian Psychiatric Association] and on the literature review. It was sent by email to the association members., Results: 101 clinicians participated. Non-pharmacological preventive measures such as psychoeducation, correction of sensory problems or sleep hygiene are performed by 70% or more. Only about 1 in 10 participants are part of an institutional multi-component prevention programme. The preventive prescription of drugs was less than 20%. Regarding non-pharmacological treatment, more than 75% recommend correction of sensory difficulties, control of stimuli and reorientation. None of the participants indicated that the care at their centres is organised to enhance non-pharmacological treatment. 17.8% do not use medication in the treatment of delirium. Those who use it prefer haloperidol or quetiapine, particularly in hyperactive or mixed motor subtypes., Conclusions: The practices of the respondents coincide with those of other experts around the world. In general, non-pharmacological actions are individual initiatives, which demonstrates the need in Colombian health institutions to commit to addressing delirium, in particular when its prevalence and consequences are indicators of quality of care., (Copyright © 2020 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assist the clinician in making decisions about the types of care available for adults with schizophrenia. To determine which are the modalities of treatment associated with better outcomes in adults with schizophrenia., Methods: A clinical practice guideline was elaborated under the parameters of the Methodological Guide of the Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social to identify, synthesize and evaluate the evidence and make recommendations about the treatment and follow-up of adult patients with schizophrenia. The evidence of NICE guide 82 was adopted and updated. The evidence was presented to the Guideline Developing Group and recommendations, employing the GRADE system, were produced., Results: Patients who were in Assertive community treatment had a lower risk of new hospitalizations. For the intensive case management, the results favored this intervention in the outcomes: medium term readmissions, social functioning and satisfaction with services. The crisis resolution teams was associated with better outcomes on outcomes of readmissions, social functioning and service satisfaction in comparison with standard care., Conclusion: The use of different modalities of care leads to the need of a comprehensive approach to patients to reduce the overall disability associated with the disease. Evidence shows overall benefit for most outcomes studied without encountering hazards for health of patients. This evaluation is recommended to use the professional ways of providing health services that are community-based and have a multidisciplinary group. It is not recommended the modality "day hospital" during the acute phase of schizophrenia in adults., (Copyright © 2014 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.)