investigations in possible delirium
Last edited 06/2018
Older people presenting with delirium should undergo basic laboratory investigations
- complete blood count
- measurement of electrolyte levels
- renal and liver panel
- urinalysis
- electrocardiography.
Further investigations should be based on the patient's chief concern, medical history, current illness, and physical examination findings:
- endocrine causes
- thyroid-stimulating hormone
- serum glucose levels
- serum cortisol level
- adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test
- infection
- blood culture
- chest radiography
- lumbar puncture
- urinalysis with culture
- malnutrition, social isolation
- measurement of vitamin B12, folate, albumin, and prealbumin levels
- pain, recent trauma or surgery
- pain assessment scale
- neurologic: focal neurologic deficits, seizure
- neurologic examination
- computed tomography of the head
- electroencephalography
- rheumatologic: fatigue, intermittent fevers, myalgias, arthralgias
- erythrocyte sedimentation rate
- C-reactive protein level (1)
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