November 29, 2025
Objective: Delirium is a common condition that can significantly worsen a patient’s clinical status. Timely and accurate detection of this frequently overlooked condition is essential for effective prevention and treatment. This study aimed to validate the Turkish version of the 3-Minute Diagnostic Interview for Confusion Assessment-defined Delirium (3D-CAM-TR), which was culturally adapted for use in surgical intensive care patients.
Methods: This study was conducted in surgical intensive care units and wards at three academic hospitals and included 133 surgical intensive care patients. The 3D-CAM was culturally adapted and translated into Turkish. The 3D-CAM-TR was administered by trained clinicians from the first to the third postoperative day. During the same period, experienced psychiatrists diagnosed delirium using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria as the reference standard. All assessors were blinded to each other’s assessment results. The diagnostic performance of the 3D-CAM-TR was compared with the DSM-5 reference standard.
Results: A total of 133 adult patients underwent assessment over three consecutive postoperative days, yielding 399 paired assessments. Compared with the DSM-5 reference standard, the 3D-CAM-TR demonstrated a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 97% for rater 1, and a sensitivity of 93% and specificity of 99% for rater 2. Inter-rater reliability was excellent (Kappa coefficient = 0.898; confidence interval = 0.84-0.96).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that the 3D-CAM-TR is a reliable and accurate tool for assessing delirium in postoperative intensive care patients.
Keywords: 3D-CAM; delirium; intensive care; Turkish version; validation.
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