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Researchers at the University of Queensland have discovered a significant correlation between delirium in older patients and the likelihood of developing dementia, with those experiencing delirium being three times more likely to develop dementia. Professor Ruth Hubbard, from UQ's Centre for Health Services Research (CHSR), highlighted that each episode of delirium increases the risk of dementia by 20 percent. The study, which analyzed over 110,000 patients from New South Wales hospitals over a five-year period, compared more than 55,000 patients who had experienced delirium with those who had not. Lead author Dr. Emily Gordon, a research fellow at CHSR, explained that patients were paired based on criteria such as age, sex, frailty, reason for hospitalization, and length of stay in hospital and intensive care units. To ensure the study could isolate the impact of delirium on dementia risk and minimize the influence of other factors such as older age, both cohorts were followed over five years to monitor dementia diagnoses. Dr. Gordon emphasized the findings underscored the importance of delirium prevention and care, noting that up to 40 percent of delirium cases are preventable, with readily available treatments. Preventive measures include maintaining proper nutrition, hydration, and mobility in patients. This study underscores the significance of delirium care and prevention, suggesting that reducing delirium could potentially alleviate the global burden of dementia. The data management for this research was conducted by partners at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at Macquarie University.