- The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) can be used in combination to effectively differentiate delirium from dementia, respectively.
- CAM relies on observations by family members, caregivers, and clinicians to assess the following four symptoms:
- acute confusional onset
- inattention
- disorganized thinking
- ltered level of consciousness
- Using CAM, the diagnosis of delirium requires the presence of both the first and second features, plus one of the two other features.
- CAM is 95-100% sensitive and 95% specific for diagnosing delirium in the elderly.
- MMSE is not a diagnostic tool but identifies cognitive impairment suggestive of delirium by assessing orientation, short-term memory, calculation ability, and language (score 18-26 = mild dementia).
- A positive CAM and an MMSE score of > 25 is predictive of delirium.