Comparing performance on the months of the year backwards test in hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia and no cognitive impairment: an exploratory study

Wolfgang Hasemann; Nikki Duncan; Caoimhe Clarke; Eva Nouzova; Lisa-Marie Sussenbach; Catriona Keerie; Valentina Assi; Christopher J. Weir; Jonathan Evans; Tim Walsh; Elizabeth Wilson; Tara Quasim; Duncan Middleton; Alexander J. Weir; Jennifer H. Barnett; David J. Stott; Alasdair M.J. MacLullich; Zoe Tieges

doi:10.1007/s41999-021-00521-4

Comparing performance on the months of the year backwards test in hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia and no cognitive impairment: an exploratory study

Wolfgang Hasemann^*, Nikki Duncan, Caoimhe Clarke, Eva Nouzova, Lisa-Marie Sussenbach, Catriona Keerie, Valentina Assi, Christopher J. Weir, Jonathan Evans, Tim Walsh, Elizabeth Wilson, Tara Quasim, Duncan Middleton, Alexander J. Weir, Jennifer H. Barnett, David J. Stott, Alasdair M.J. MacLullich, Zoe Tieges

^*Corresponding author for this work

Computing

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

221 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate performance of the Months of the Year Backwards (MOTYB) test in older hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia, and no cognitive impairment.

METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from a case-control study of 149 hospitalised patients aged ≥ 65 years with delirium [with or without dementia (N = 50)], dementia [without delirium (N = 46)], and no cognitive impairment (N = 53). Verbatim transcripts of MOTYB audio recordings were analysed to determine group differences in response patterns.

RESULTS: In the total sample [median age 85y (IQR 80-88), 82% female], patients with delirium were more often unable to recite months backward to November (36/50 = 72%) than patients with dementia (21/46 = 46%; p < 0.01) and both differed significantly from patients without cognitive impairment (2/53 = 4%; p's < 0.001). 121/149 (81%) of patients were able to engage with the test. Patients with delirium were more often unable to engage with MOTYB (23/50 = 46%; e.g., due to reduced arousal) than patients with dementia (5/46 = 11%; p < 0.001); both groups differed significantly (p's < 0.001) from patients without cognitive impairment (0/53 = 0%). There was no statistically significant difference between patients with delirium (2/27 = 7%) and patients with dementia (8/41 = 20%) in completing MOTYB to January, but performance in both groups differed (p < 0.001 and p < 0.02, respectively) from patients without cognitive impairment (35/53 = 66%).

CONCLUSION: Delirium was associated with inability to engage with MOTYB and low rates of completion. In patients able to engage with the test, error-free completion rates were low in delirium and dementia. Recording of engagement and patterns of errors may add useful information to MOTYB scoring.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1257-1265
Number of pages	9
Journal	European Geriatric Medicine
Volume	12
Issue number	6
Early online date	22 Jun 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-021-00521-4
Publication status	Published - Dec 2021

Keywords

attention
cognitive dysfunction
delirium
dementia
case-control studies

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Geriatrics and Gerontology
Gerontology

Documents and Links

10.1007/s41999-021-00521-4

Hasemann, W. et al (2021) Comparing performance on the months of the year backwards test in hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia and no cognitive impairment: an exploratory study
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Final published version, 743 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Hasemann, W., Duncan, N., Clarke, C., Nouzova, E., Sussenbach, L.-M., Keerie, C., Assi, V., Weir, C. J., Evans, J., Walsh, T., Wilson, E., Quasim, T., Middleton, D., Weir, A. J., Barnett, J. H., Stott, D. J., MacLullich, A. M. J., & Tieges, Z. (2021). Comparing performance on the months of the year backwards test in hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia and no cognitive impairment: an exploratory study. European Geriatric Medicine, 12(6), 1257-1265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-021-00521-4

@article{f1fe2d8a2f89441aaae9b10ea8397d09,

title = "Comparing performance on the months of the year backwards test in hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia and no cognitive impairment: an exploratory study",

abstract = "PURPOSE: To investigate performance of the Months of the Year Backwards (MOTYB) test in older hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia, and no cognitive impairment.METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from a case-control study of 149 hospitalised patients aged ≥ 65 years with delirium [with or without dementia (N = 50)], dementia [without delirium (N = 46)], and no cognitive impairment (N = 53). Verbatim transcripts of MOTYB audio recordings were analysed to determine group differences in response patterns.RESULTS: In the total sample [median age 85y (IQR 80-88), 82% female], patients with delirium were more often unable to recite months backward to November (36/50 = 72%) than patients with dementia (21/46 = 46%; p < 0.01) and both differed significantly from patients without cognitive impairment (2/53 = 4%; p's < 0.001). 121/149 (81%) of patients were able to engage with the test. Patients with delirium were more often unable to engage with MOTYB (23/50 = 46%; e.g., due to reduced arousal) than patients with dementia (5/46 = 11%; p < 0.001); both groups differed significantly (p's < 0.001) from patients without cognitive impairment (0/53 = 0%). There was no statistically significant difference between patients with delirium (2/27 = 7%) and patients with dementia (8/41 = 20%) in completing MOTYB to January, but performance in both groups differed (p < 0.001 and p < 0.02, respectively) from patients without cognitive impairment (35/53 = 66%).CONCLUSION: Delirium was associated with inability to engage with MOTYB and low rates of completion. In patients able to engage with the test, error-free completion rates were low in delirium and dementia. Recording of engagement and patterns of errors may add useful information to MOTYB scoring.",

keywords = "attention, cognitive dysfunction, delirium, dementia, case-control studies",

author = "Wolfgang Hasemann and Nikki Duncan and Caoimhe Clarke and Eva Nouzova and Lisa-Marie Sussenbach and Catriona Keerie and Valentina Assi and Weir, {Christopher J.} and Jonathan Evans and Tim Walsh and Elizabeth Wilson and Tara Quasim and Duncan Middleton and Weir, {Alexander J.} and Barnett, {Jennifer H.} and Stott, {David J.} and MacLullich, {Alasdair M.J.} and Zoe Tieges",

note = "Acceptance in Sharepoint/from webpage AAM: apply 12m embargo ^ Published OA (removed AAM - ET 15/7/21)",

year = "2021",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1007/s41999-021-00521-4",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

pages = "1257--1265",

journal = "European Geriatric Medicine",

issn = "1878-7657",

publisher = "Springer Nature",

number = "6",

}

Hasemann, W, Duncan, N, Clarke, C, Nouzova, E, Sussenbach, L-M, Keerie, C, Assi, V, Weir, CJ, Evans, J, Walsh, T, Wilson, E, Quasim, T, Middleton, D, Weir, AJ, Barnett, JH, Stott, DJ, MacLullich, AMJ & Tieges, Z 2021, 'Comparing performance on the months of the year backwards test in hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia and no cognitive impairment: an exploratory study', European Geriatric Medicine, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 1257-1265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-021-00521-4

TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparing performance on the months of the year backwards test in hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia and no cognitive impairment: an exploratory study

AU - Hasemann, Wolfgang

AU - Duncan, Nikki

AU - Clarke, Caoimhe

AU - Nouzova, Eva

AU - Sussenbach, Lisa-Marie

AU - Keerie, Catriona

AU - Assi, Valentina

AU - Weir, Christopher J.

AU - Evans, Jonathan

AU - Walsh, Tim

AU - Wilson, Elizabeth

AU - Quasim, Tara

AU - Middleton, Duncan

AU - Weir, Alexander J.

AU - Barnett, Jennifer H.

AU - Stott, David J.

AU - MacLullich, Alasdair M.J.

AU - Tieges, Zoe

N1 - Acceptance in Sharepoint/from webpage AAM: apply 12m embargo ^ Published OA (removed AAM - ET 15/7/21)

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - PURPOSE: To investigate performance of the Months of the Year Backwards (MOTYB) test in older hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia, and no cognitive impairment.METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from a case-control study of 149 hospitalised patients aged ≥ 65 years with delirium [with or without dementia (N = 50)], dementia [without delirium (N = 46)], and no cognitive impairment (N = 53). Verbatim transcripts of MOTYB audio recordings were analysed to determine group differences in response patterns.RESULTS: In the total sample [median age 85y (IQR 80-88), 82% female], patients with delirium were more often unable to recite months backward to November (36/50 = 72%) than patients with dementia (21/46 = 46%; p < 0.01) and both differed significantly from patients without cognitive impairment (2/53 = 4%; p's < 0.001). 121/149 (81%) of patients were able to engage with the test. Patients with delirium were more often unable to engage with MOTYB (23/50 = 46%; e.g., due to reduced arousal) than patients with dementia (5/46 = 11%; p < 0.001); both groups differed significantly (p's < 0.001) from patients without cognitive impairment (0/53 = 0%). There was no statistically significant difference between patients with delirium (2/27 = 7%) and patients with dementia (8/41 = 20%) in completing MOTYB to January, but performance in both groups differed (p < 0.001 and p < 0.02, respectively) from patients without cognitive impairment (35/53 = 66%).CONCLUSION: Delirium was associated with inability to engage with MOTYB and low rates of completion. In patients able to engage with the test, error-free completion rates were low in delirium and dementia. Recording of engagement and patterns of errors may add useful information to MOTYB scoring.

AB - PURPOSE: To investigate performance of the Months of the Year Backwards (MOTYB) test in older hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia, and no cognitive impairment.METHODS: Secondary analysis of data from a case-control study of 149 hospitalised patients aged ≥ 65 years with delirium [with or without dementia (N = 50)], dementia [without delirium (N = 46)], and no cognitive impairment (N = 53). Verbatim transcripts of MOTYB audio recordings were analysed to determine group differences in response patterns.RESULTS: In the total sample [median age 85y (IQR 80-88), 82% female], patients with delirium were more often unable to recite months backward to November (36/50 = 72%) than patients with dementia (21/46 = 46%; p < 0.01) and both differed significantly from patients without cognitive impairment (2/53 = 4%; p's < 0.001). 121/149 (81%) of patients were able to engage with the test. Patients with delirium were more often unable to engage with MOTYB (23/50 = 46%; e.g., due to reduced arousal) than patients with dementia (5/46 = 11%; p < 0.001); both groups differed significantly (p's < 0.001) from patients without cognitive impairment (0/53 = 0%). There was no statistically significant difference between patients with delirium (2/27 = 7%) and patients with dementia (8/41 = 20%) in completing MOTYB to January, but performance in both groups differed (p < 0.001 and p < 0.02, respectively) from patients without cognitive impairment (35/53 = 66%).CONCLUSION: Delirium was associated with inability to engage with MOTYB and low rates of completion. In patients able to engage with the test, error-free completion rates were low in delirium and dementia. Recording of engagement and patterns of errors may add useful information to MOTYB scoring.

KW - attention

KW - cognitive dysfunction

KW - delirium

KW - dementia

KW - case-control studies

U2 - 10.1007/s41999-021-00521-4

DO - 10.1007/s41999-021-00521-4

M3 - Article

C2 - 34156656

SN - 1878-7657

VL - 12

SP - 1257

EP - 1265

JO - European Geriatric Medicine

JF - European Geriatric Medicine

IS - 6

ER -

Comparing performance on the months of the year backwards test in hospitalised patients with delirium, dementia and no cognitive impairment: an exploratory study

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Documents and Links

Fingerprint

Cite this