[Influence of Family in the Patient with Neurological Pathology and Acute Confusional Syndrome].

Summary: Given the type of pathology and age of patients in the inpatient unit of Neurology, Hospital de Cabueñes (Gijon), acute confusional syndrome (ACS) is very common in this service.

Objective: To determine the influence of the family, within the limits of the hospital, in patients with neurological disease suffering from SCA.

Methodology: A prospective, observational, descriptive study of 53 patients with neurological disease that suffered from SCA was performed. The study variables were: disorientation, agitation, medication, effectiveness, and body grip on each shift with and without family. All those patients suffering from any dementia or psychiatric problem before entering were discarded.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 83 years old. The most common pathology was ICTUS. The patients with family were 47.4% versus 52.6% without family in three shifts. 70.3% of the patients became disoriented with family; for patients without family the percentage increased up to 83.8%. As far as nervousness is concerned, 11.4% of the patients with family experienced this behaviour in the three shifts; no-family patients suffering from nervousness were 29.4%. Medication was administered to 33% of the patients with family, and to 44% of no-family patients. The effectiveness was 66.5% for patients with family and 48% for no-family patients. The use of body grip in the three shifts was 7.6% for patients with family and 64.5% for no-family patients.

Conclusions: Family has a beneficial effect on neurological patients with ACS, specially by reducing the use of mechanical restraint, helping to preserve the dignity of elderly patients in an adverse environment such as a hospital.