Replication analysis for composition of the Delirium Motor Subtype Scale (DMSS) in a referral cohort from Northern India

Grover S, Mattoo SK, Aarya KR, Das PP, Chakrabarty K, Trzepacz P, Gupta N, Meagher D · PGIMER Chandigarh (international collaboration)

Psychiatry Research, 2013;206(1):68–74 · PMID: 23021910 · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2012.08.034

ABSTRACT

The DMSS was originally developed from the Delirium Motor Checklist (DMC) in a palliative care population. This study replicated and extended its validation in a psychiatric referral population. 100 consecutive C/L psychiatry referrals with DSM-IV delirium in a North Indian general hospital assessed with the DRS-R98 and DMC, compared with 60 non-delirious hospitalised controls. Principal components analysis applied to DMC items.

N = 100 delirious · 60 controls · DRS-R98 + DMC

KEY FINDINGS

• Motor disturbances present in almost all delirious patients — at much higher frequency than controls

• Principal components analysis: 5 factors identified; Factor 1 explained 37.3% of variance

• Replicated DMSS comprised 12 items — closely matching the original scale

• Hyperactive features predominated: 94% of delirious patients showed motor agitation

• Proposed amended DMSS combining items from both versions to enhance generalisability across diverse populations