Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41389178›Full record

ArticleEuropean geriatric medicine2026

Prevalence and interconnectedness of delirium, dementia, and frailty pathways in clinical settings: a survey of geriatricians across Europe.

Mary Faherty, Aoife O'Connor, Catriona Curtin, Enrico Brunetti, Mario Bo, Alessandro Morandi, Antonio Cherubini, Massimiliano Fedecostante, Maria Cristina Ferrara, Alessandra Coin and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European geriatric medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Mary FahertyCentre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. mfaherty@ucc.ie.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-0812-9128
Aoife O'ConnorMercy University Hospital, Cork, Ireland.
Catriona CurtinCentre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
Enrico BrunettiSection of Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences, University Hospital Città Della Salute E Della Scienza, Turin, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2028-2319
Mario BoSection of Geriatrics, Department of Medical Sciences, University Hospital Città Della Salute E Della Scienza, Turin, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2945-0243
Alessandro MorandiDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Science, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4848-2507
Antonio CherubiniAccettazione Geriatrica e Centro Di Ricerca Per L'Invecchiamento, IRCCS INRCA, Ancona, Italy.
Massimiliano FedecostanteAccettazione Geriatrica e Centro Di Ricerca Per L'Invecchiamento, IRCCS INRCA, Ancona, Italy.
Maria Cristina FerraraSchool of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7971-5943
Alessandra CoinGeriatrics Unit, Azienda Ospedale - Università Padova, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.
Susan D ShenkinAgeing and Health Research Group, and Advanced Care Research Centre, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7375-4776
Pinar SoysalDepartment of Geriatric Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Türkiye.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6042-1718
Giuseppe BellelliSchool of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca and Acute Geriatric Unit, IRCCS Foundation "San Gerardo Dei Tintori", Monza, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5430-0947
Suzanne TimmonsCentre for Gerontology and Rehabilitation, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7790-9552

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo explore the prevalence, overall and in different clinical settings, and interconnectedness, of delirium, dementia, and frailty clinical pathways across Europe.

methodsAn online anonymous survey was distributed via the mailing list of the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS), national member groups and the authors' professional networks, targeting geriatricians, or trainees in their final 2 years of specialist geriatric training, working in a hospital, rehabilitation, post-acute care or residential setting in a European country. Quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics and frequency distributions. Inductive content analysis was used to interpret open-text questions.

resultsThe 240 respondents were predominantly female (63%), with a 6:1 consultant to trainee ratio and marked underrepresentation of Eastern Europe. Integrated care pathways (current or in-development) for delirium, dementia, or frailty are reported in 48-78% of settings. Dementia and delirium pathways are common except in radiology, neurosurgery, and operating/recovery settings. Frailty pathways are less common overall, and specific frailty staff are less common than dementia or delirium staff. Dementia pathways commonly incorporate delirium screening (76%) and prevention (73%), but less commonly frailty screening (61%). Similarly, delirium pathways often provide guidance on formal dementia diagnosis (62%) but less than half incorporate frailty screening/assessment (46%). Notably, only 19% of delirium pathways differentiate between managing delirium and delirium-superimposed-on-dementia (DSD). Frailty pathways frequently incorporate cognitive assessment (81%) and delirium screening/assessment (75%), but only 57% incorporate delirium prevention.

conclusionDementia and delirium pathways are more common and more integrated and inclusive of each other than frailty pathways. More unified approaches could maximize the value of staff time, reduce duplications, and avoid a siloed approach to the care of older people.

Indexed as

Critical PathwaysDeliriumDementiaFrailtyGeriatriciansGeriatricsAgedEuropeFemaleGeriatric AssessmentHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceSurveys and QuestionnairesCare pathwayDeliriumDementiaFrailtyHealth service

Identifiers

PMID41389178
PMCPMC13109260

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.