Dynamics of Biochemical Markers in Patients With Delirium After Myocardial Infarction

Introduction Delirium is an acute neuropsychiatric syndrome commonly observed in critically ill patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality [1]. Biochemical and clinical parameters play a role in identifying patients at higher risk of delirium [2,3]. Understanding these indicators can help improve early diagnosis and management strategies [4]. Aim To evaluate the associations between biochemical parameters, their dynamics, and the occurrence of delirium in Cardiology and Ischemic Heart Disease Units. Methods A retrospective study analyzed 100 patients from the Cardiology Intensive Therapy Unit (CITU) and Ischemic Heart Disease Unit (IHD), divided into delirium (n = 17) and non-delirium (n = 83) groups. Data were collected through medical records and patient interviews, including demographic information (age, sex, smoking, alcohol use) and biochemical parameters (creatinine, urea, AST, ALT, CRP, Troponin I). Numerical variables were described as medians with interquartile ranges. Statistical analysis used the Mann-Whitney U test. The majority of p-values were >0.05, indicating non-significance, while some were <0.05, suggesting trends for further investigation. [5]. Results Cardiology Intensive Therapy Unit (CITU): In the CITU group, delirium patients exhibited higher levels of the following biochemical markers compared to non-delirium patients: Creatinine: 121.50 (85.25–160.00) vs. 90.00 (72.00–110.50), p = 0.002 Urea: 9.80 (6.60–14.30) vs. 7.60 (5.40–10.10), p = 0.045 AST: 95.00 (50.00–158.00) vs. 60.00 (34.00–105.00), p = 0.013 CRP: 41.50 (19.00–102.00) vs. 16.00 (8.00–29.00), p = 0.014 Ischemic Heart Disease Unit (IHD): In the IHD group, delirium patients showed significantly elevated levels of the following biochemical markers: Troponin I: 8.50 (3.20–22.00) vs. 1.50 (0.50–4.00), p = 0.001 Creatinine: 106.00 (78.00–140.00) vs. 88.00 (68.00–102.00), p = 0.022 Urea: 8.30 (5.90–12.50) vs. 6.10 (4.70–8.20), p = 0.019 AST: 88.00 (45.00–120.00) vs. 52.00 (28.00–80.00), p = 0.006 ALT: 39.00 (21.00–58.00) vs. 24.00 (14.00–34.00), p = 0.045 CRP: 27.50 (15.00–70.00) vs. 5.50 (3.00–12.00), p = 0.045 All comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. While some p-values were statistically significant, others suggest potential trends that warrant further investigation. Conclusions Elevated biochemical markers, including creatinine, urea, AST, CRP, and Troponin I, were significantly associated with delirium. Although these findings do not establish causation, they indicate potential risk factors that may help identify patients requiring more intensive monitoring and early intervention. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these associations and explore potential mechanisms linking biochemical markers to delirium development [3,5].