3-item DSD: Three-item Delirium Superimposed on Dementia screener
2019A candidate three-item screen for delirium superimposed on dementia, derived from patient responses and observed sleepiness in a secondary analysis. It requires prospective validation before routine clinical adoption.
Classification
A tool may belong to more than one category. Select a linked category to see other relevant profiles.
Tool and original sources
No direct copy is linked here. The original paper and a Google Images search are available below. Image results may be unofficial; check the version and source before use.
Original paper
- Principal sourceSteensma E, Zhou W, Ngo L, Gallagher J, Inouye S, Leslie D, et al. Ultra-brief Screeners for Detecting Delirium Superimposed on Dementia. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2019;20(11):1391-1396.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2019.05.011. PMID: 31279670.
This is the principal published source for 3-item DSD. It reported sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 42% against CAM criteria.
At a glance
- Purpose
- Episodic assessment
- Population
- Adult
- Setting
- General / acute hospital
- Time
- ultra-brief; formal timing not reported in the derivation study
- Items
- 3
- Score or threshold
- Positive if any of the three candidate components is positive in the derivation analysis
Format: The proposed screen combines days of the week backwards, orientation to the type of place and observed sleepiness. Any error on the two patient tasks, failure to respond, or observed sleepiness counted as a positive screen in the derivation analysis. Formal administration time was not reported.
- Strengths: High sensitivity in a large dementia cohort; combines cognitive responses with a brief observation
- Limitations: Candidate selected and evaluated in the same secondary dataset; low specificity; no independent prospective validation
Evidence
Reported sensitivity and specificity
Original/source study · 2019 — pmid:31279670
- Denominator
- Reported source unit: 391 (analysis unit not fully reconciled)
- Reference standard
- CAM criteria
Top three-item combination in the first-day END-DSD secondary analysis (n=391); candidate selection and accuracy estimation used the same dataset.
More evidence and citation details
- Full name
- Three-item Delirium Superimposed on Dementia screener
- Also known as
- 3-item DSD, three-item DSD screener
- Evidence summary
- derivation-only
- Diagnostic-accuracy studies
- 1
- Reference standard
- CAM criteria
- Citation
- Steensma E, Zhou W, Ngo L, Gallagher J, Inouye S, Leslie D, Boltz M, Kolanowski A, Mion L, Marcantonio ER, Fick D Ultra-brief Screeners for Detecting Delirium Superimposed on Dementia Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2019;20(11):1391-1396.e1. PMID 31279670
Copyright and reuse
- Information checked
- 2026-07-19
Instrument-specific terms apply. See the access and copyright policy or send a correction.
Sources checked 2026-07-29. How profiles are prepared.