Table 2

Revised Delirium Rating Scale (DRS-R98) item severities (mean scores±SD) and frequencies (% scoring ≥1 and ≥2) for delirium, comorbid delirium–dementia, dementia-alone and control groups

Controls (n=32)Delirium (n=50)Comorbid delirium– dementia (n=62)Dementia (n=32)
1. Sleep–wake cycle disturbance0.5±0.7
44% (9%)		2.0±0.9*†
91% (73%)		1.5±0.9‡
79% (53%)		0.9±0.8§
65% (22%)
2. Perceptual disturbances and hallucinations0.2±0.7
6% (6%)		1.0±1.3*
41% (32%)		0.7±1.1‡
37% (23%)		0.2±0.7§
14% (6%)
3. Delusions0.1±0.6
6% (3%)		0.6±1.0
35% (21%)		0.4±0.8
31% (10%)		0.3±0.7§
15% (9%)
4. Lability of affect0.2±0.6
6% (3%)		1.4±1.1¶
75% (47%)		1.0±0.9‡
62% (33%)		0.5±0.7
37% (9%)
5. Language0.1±0.4
6% (3%)		1.1±1.1*
55% (39%)		0.8±1.0‡
43% (23%)		0.3±0.7§
20% (10%)
6. Thought process abnormalities0.6±0.8
47% (13%)		2.5±4.6‡**
88% (63%)		1.1±1.1
62% (38%)		0.8±0.9§
53% (22%)
7. Motor agitation0.2±0.5
11% (7%)		1.5±1.1¶†
73% (55%)		0.9±0.9
57% (25%)		0.6±0.8
37% (16%)
8. Motor retardation0.1±0.4
6% (3%)		0.6±0.9
31% (20%)		0.5±0.8
37% (13%)		0.3±0.6§
19% (3%)
9. Orientation0.2±0.4
16% (16%)		1.2±1.0
74% (37%)		1.5±0.7‡
90% (52%)		1.0±0.8
70% (22%)
10. Attention0.6±0.8
37% (15%)		2.4±1.4¶
98% (80%)		2.0±0.9‡
93% (72%)		1.6±1.1
70% (31%)
11. Short-term memory0.9±0.9
56% (28%)		1.7±1.2
80% (60%)		2.1±0.9
97% (69%)		1.7±1.0
89% (60%)
12. Long-term memory0.4±0.6
35% (11%)		1.4±1.0
80% (42%)		1.3±0.9
77% (42%)		1.1±1.1
59% (31%)
13.Visuospatial ability0.6±0.9
34% (22%)		2.1±1.1
89% (70%)		1.8±1.1
85% (60%)		1.6±1.2
73% (60%)
14. Temporal onset of symptoms0.4±0.6
17% (13%)		2.0±0.6¶**
100% (78%)		1.6±0.9¶
89% (54%)		0.6±0.7
41% (13%)
15. Fluctuation in symptom severity0.2±0.5
11% (6%)		1.2±0.6¶†
91% (26%)		0.7±0.7*
59% (11%)		0.3±0.4§
27% (27%)
16. Physical disorder0.8±0.6
72% (10%)		1.9±0.4¶
98% (92%)		1.8±0.4¶
98% (84%)		1.2±0.7
83% (33%)

  • *More impaired than dementia at p<0.01.

  • †More impaired than delirium–dementia at p<0.01.

  • ‡More impaired than dementia at p≤0.05.

  • §No difference between dementia and controls.

  • ¶More impaired than dementia at p<0.001.

  • **More impaired than delirium–dementia at p≤0.05.