Clinical Study of Patients Presenting with Acute Altered Sensorium
- 1. Third Year Resident of Department Of Emergency Medicine, GCS MCHRC Hospital, Ahmedabad
- 2. Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, SVPIMSR Hospital, Ahmedabad
- 3. Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, GCS MCHRC Hospital, Ahmedabad
Description
Background: Altered sensorium poses a significant and challenging diagnostic task for emergency physicians in managing patients promptly. Non-traumatic causes of altered mental status are diverse and require compre-hensive clinical knowledge for effective management in the emergency room (ER), aiming to reduce morbidity and mortality. Therefore, understanding the clinical profile, triaging, treatment, and outcomes is crucial to op-timize ER resources, especially in settings with limited resources. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical profile, emergency management, and outcomes of pa-tients presenting with altered sensorium. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on 50 patients who presented with acute altered mental status in the ER of a tertiary care hospital in western India between July 2023 and Decem-ber 2023. Details of clinical presentation, management, and outcomes were recorded using a standardized form. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 26.0. Results: The mean age of the study population was 59.88 ± 16.65 years, with the majority being over 60 years old, and males comprising 62%. Among the 50 patients, 27 (54%) had non-neurological causes contributing to altered mental status. The most common factor leading to altered mental status was cerebral vascular accident (CVA), accounting for 32% of cases. The study observed a mortality rate of 38%, with a mean length of stay (LOS) in the ICU of 4.26 days. Conclusion: The study revealed a higher incidence of altered mental status among older adults, with a predom-inance of males. Non-neurological causes were more prevalent than primary neurological causes, although CVA was the leading neurological cause identified. These findings underscore the importance of early recognition, comprehensive assessment, and prompt management of altered sensorium in the ER to improve patient out-comes.
Abstract (English)
Background: Altered sensorium poses a significant and challenging diagnostic task for emergency physicians in managing patients promptly. Non-traumatic causes of altered mental status are diverse and require compre-hensive clinical knowledge for effective management in the emergency room (ER), aiming to reduce morbidity and mortality. Therefore, understanding the clinical profile, triaging, treatment, and outcomes is crucial to op-timize ER resources, especially in settings with limited resources. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical profile, emergency management, and outcomes of pa-tients presenting with altered sensorium. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on 50 patients who presented with acute altered mental status in the ER of a tertiary care hospital in western India between July 2023 and Decem-ber 2023. Details of clinical presentation, management, and outcomes were recorded using a standardized form. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 26.0. Results: The mean age of the study population was 59.88 ± 16.65 years, with the majority being over 60 years old, and males comprising 62%. Among the 50 patients, 27 (54%) had non-neurological causes contributing to altered mental status. The most common factor leading to altered mental status was cerebral vascular accident (CVA), accounting for 32% of cases. The study observed a mortality rate of 38%, with a mean length of stay (LOS) in the ICU of 4.26 days. Conclusion: The study revealed a higher incidence of altered mental status among older adults, with a predom-inance of males. Non-neurological causes were more prevalent than primary neurological causes, although CVA was the leading neurological cause identified. These findings underscore the importance of early recognition, comprehensive assessment, and prompt management of altered sensorium in the ER to improve patient out-comes.
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IJPCR,Vol16,Issue7,Article142.pdf
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Additional details
Dates
- Accepted
-
2024-06-26
Software
- Repository URL
- https://impactfactor.org/PDF/IJPCR/16/IJPCR,Vol16,Issue7,Article142.pdf
- Development Status
- Active
References
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