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The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) has gained widespread acceptance for diagnosing delirium, because it is validated and easy to use at the bedside. However, we don't have a simple clinical tool to assess severity of delirium once it occurs.
Researchers have developed two new CAM-based scoring systems for delirium severity (CAM-S): a long form (based on the 10 features of the full CAM instrument) and a short form (based on the 4 features from CAM that can be rated at the bedside). The short-form items are:
Acute onset and symptom fluctuation
Inattention
Disorganized thinking
Altered level of consciousness
Each symptom (except fluctuation) was rated 0 (absent), 1 (mild), or 2 (marked); acute onset and fluctuation was rated 0 (absent) or 1 (pres…