Valproic acid for agitation in the intensive care unit: an observational study of psychiatric consults.

Background: Agitation is a common clinical problem encountered in the intensive care unit (ICU). Treatment options are based on clinical experience and sparse quality literature.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the effect of valproic acid (VPA) as adjuvant treatment for agitation in the ICU, identify predictors of response to VPA and evaluate the independent effect of VPA on agitation compared to standard of care (SOC).