MEASURING DELIRIUM SEVERITY IN OLDER GENERAL-HOSPITAL INPATIENTS WITHOUT DEMENTIA - THE DELIRIUM SEVERITY SCALE

The authors evaluated the validity reliability, and sensitivity to cha nge of the Delirium Severity Scale (DSS), a 10-minute assessment consi sting of Forward Digit Span and Similarities. Twenty-two older inpatie nts with delirium but not dementia and 15 control patients were admini stered the DSS during hospitalization. Scores were significantly inver sely correlated with expert' quantitative ratings of severity at all t hree three time-points examined. The DSS showed significant improvemen t over time (P < 0.001) and significant correlation with improvement i n expert ratings (P = 0.026). The DSS shows promise as a valid and rel iable measure sensitive to changing symptom severity.