Delirium During Hospitalization: A Strong Predictor of Long-Term Cognitive Decline in Initially Cognitively Unimpaired Adults

Delirium occurring during hospitalization in cognitively unimpaired adults significantly raises the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.
Individuals who experience delirium show accelerated cognitive decline compared to those without delirium over a median follow-up of 7.2 years.
The study utilized validated natural language processing algorithms applied to clinical notes for accurate delirium detection, enhancing the robustness of findings.
Age, sex, education level, and APOE ε4 genotype were adjusted in the analyses, strengthening the conclusion of an independent association between delirium and long-term cognitive deterioration.

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