A significant association between scores on the DST and the Cantonese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (CMMSE) was found in this study (p < 0.05 for DSF, p = 0.00 for DSB).ĭementia and delirium were prevalent, yet under-recognized, in acute medical geriatric inpatients. Regarding the detection of major cognitive impairment, the ROC curve of DSB showed a sensitivity of 0.77 and specificity of 0.78 at the optimal cutoff of <3.
The prior case-note documentation rate was 13.2% for dementia and 2.8% for delirium. The prevalence rates of dementia alone, delirium alone and delirium superimposed on dementia were 21.5%, 9% and 9% respectively. Receiver Operating Characteristics curve (ROC) was used in conjunction with sensitivity and specificity measures to assess the performance of DST. The DST scores were compared with the psychiatrists' DSM-IV-based diagnoses. The objectives of this study were to (1) validate the Digit Span Test (DST) in the identification and differentiation of dementia and delirium and (2) determine the prevalence of major cognitive impairment in elderly people in an acute medical unit.ĭuring the study period from January to February 2010, 144 patients aged 75 years or more who had had unplanned medical admissions were assessed by nurses, using the Digit Span Forwards (DSF) and the Digit Span Backwards (DSB) tests. There is no valid instrument currently in use at acute-care hospitals in Hong Kong to aid the detection of cognitive impairment.
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