Delirium is a sudden, serious confusion that can hit cancer patients, especially after surgery. It's scary for patients and families, and it can lead to longer hospital stays and worse outcomes. But a new analysis of 24 studies involving 2,747 patients offers some hope: certain non-drug approaches may help prevent it.
The review found that multicomponent interventions, which combine several strategies like reorientation, sleep hygiene, and early mobility, significantly reduced delirium risk. The effect was strongest in postoperative settings. The risk was cut by more than half (RR 0.43). The evidence for this approach is moderate, meaning it's fairly reliable.
Other standalone interventions, like bright light therapy, showed promise but the evidence was too weak to draw firm conclusions. The review also noted limitations: many studies had bias risks because patients and staff knew who was getting the intervention, and the types of patients and treatments varied widely. For patients in palliative or end-of-life care, the evidence remains limited.
Overall, this suggests that hospitals should consider using multicomponent non-drug programs to protect cancer patients from delirium, especially around the time of surgery. But more research is needed to know what works best in different situations.
