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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2024 Oct;41(2):550-557.
doi: 10.1007/s12028-024-01948-w. Epub 2024 Apr 1.

Quetiapine Versus Haloperidol in the Management of Hyperactive Delirium: Randomized Controlled Trial

Tamer Zakhary  1 , Islam Ahmed  2   3 , Ibrahim Luttfi  4 , Mina Montasser  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Quetiapine Versus Haloperidol in the Management of Hyperactive Delirium: Randomized Controlled Trial

Tamer Zakhary et al. Neurocrit Care. 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Background: In the population of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), most studies compared the use of atypical antipsychotics, such as quetiapine, with the use of traditional haloperidol in patients with delirium of various forms and etiologies. The role of such agents in patients with hyperactive delirium is not fully understood. This study compares the effectiveness of quetiapine with haloperidol in treating the hyperactive form of delirium in terms of their effects on the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-R-98), length of stay in the ICU, and mortality in critically ill patients.

Methods: One hundred adult patients diagnosed with hyperactive delirium were randomly assigned to receive either oral quetiapine (25-50 mg/day) or haloperidol (1-2 mg/day). The response, defined as "a DRS-R-98 severity score reduction from baseline of 50% or more" and a DRS-R-98 severity score of 12 or less without relapse, was the primary outcome.

Results: The mean age of all patients was 68 ± 6 years. The study population's overall response rate was 92%. Response rates for the two groups were remarkably equal (p = 0.609). Secondary outcomes were comparable in both groups, such as ICU mortality (p = 0.496), in-hospital mortality (p = 0.321), in-hospital stay (p = 0.310), and the need for mechanical ventilation (p > 0.99). But the quetiapine group showed a statistically reduced mean ICU stay (10.1 ± 2.0 vs. 11.7 ± 2.6 days, p = 0.018) and increased sleeping hours per night (p = 0.001).

Conclusions: Quetiapine may be equally as effective as haloperidol in treating the symptoms of hyperactive delirium in critically ill patients, with no mortality benefit.

Keywords: Antipsychotics; Delirium; Haloperidol; Hyperactive; Quetiapine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares that there are no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of the study
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Trend of the median DRS-R-98 severity score over time for the two studied groups. DRS-R-98, Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Trend of the median sleeping hours over time for the two studied groups
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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