[Factors Associated With Delirium In Patients Hospitalized During The COVID-19 Pandemic].

Objectives: To determine the risk factors associated with delirium in patients admitted to a COVID-19 Hospitalization of a general hospital during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: An observational, analytical, case-control study was conducted. We analyzed 50 medical records of patients who presented delirium and 50 who did not present delirium in a COVID Hospitalization area during the period from March 2020 to March 2021. The Odd Ratio of sociodemographic and clinical factors for presenting delirium was evaluated. The logistic regression statistical test was performed using STATA 17.0 software. The protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Villa El Salvador Emergency Hospital.

Results: Ventilatory support (p=0.04), especially the use of a reservoir mask (OR=0.34, CI 0.12-0.88) and the presence of systemic complications (p=0.03) such as metabolic acidosis (OR=12.9, CI 1.45-115.58) were statistically significant variables associated with a higher risk of presenting delirium.

Conclusions: The type of ventilatory support and the presence of systemic complications were significant risk factors for delirium in patients hospitalized in a COVID area. Further studies are required in this field to obtain more evidence in this regard.