Inflammation and delirium in critically Ill patients: a review.

The high prevalence and adverse impact of delirium in critically ill patients necessitate a deeper understanding of its mechanisms. This review explores the pivotal interplay between systemic inflammation and delirium, examining how insults like age, pain and surgery orchestrate neuroinflammation and delirium through microglial activation and blood-brain barrier disruption. Our synthesis identifies a spectrum of inflammatory and neuronal injury biomarkers with prognostic value and evaluates the burgeoning field of anti-inflammatory pharmacotherapy. We conclude that bridging this mechanistic knowledge to clinical practice via biomarker-driven trials is essential for developing effective interventions against delirium.