DelBox: Delirium Box (Edinburgh Delirium Test Box)
2011A purpose-built handheld sustained-attention test and precursor of DelApp. It measures a cognitive component strongly affected in delirium but does not independently establish the syndrome.
Classification
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Tool and original sources
This record describes a method rather than a downloadable bedside form. The main source is linked below.
Original and selected diagnostic-accuracy papers
- Original paperBrown LJ, Fordyce C, Zaghdani H, Starr JM, MacLullich AM. Detecting deficits of sustained visual attention in delirium. Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 2011;82(12):1334-40. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2010.208827. PMID: 20587493.
This is the original published source for DelBox. It is the main source for the method, its intended use and the evidence available at publication.
- Selected diagnostic-accuracy studyGreen C, Hendry K, Wilson ES, Walsh T, Allerhand M, MacLullich AMJ, et al. A Novel Computerized Test for Detecting and Monitoring Visual Attentional Deficits and Delirium in the ICU. Critical care medicine. 2017;45(7):1224-1231. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000002477. PMID: 28489649.
This diagnostic-accuracy study evaluated DelBox in royal Infirmary of Edinburgh general ICU against CAM-ICU delirium assessment. It reported sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 92% in 30 selected ICU patients; 79 repeated assessments.
At a glance
- Purpose
- Domain-specific or adjunctive measure
- Population
- Adult
- Time
- ~1 min
- Score or threshold
- Eight DelBox sustained visual-attention tasks (ROC range; task-specific thresholds not reported in accessible abstract)
Format: It is a cognitive test for delirium instrument for adult use in the setting described in the source study. The stated administration time is ~1 min. The published result is recorded using Eight DelBox sustained visual-attention tasks (ROC range; task-specific thresholds not reported in accessible abstract).
Evidence
Reported metric context
Objective computerised sustained-attention testing; AUC 0.80–0.99 discriminating delirium from dementia and controls (n=20 delirium).
More evidence and citation details
- Full name
- Delirium Box (Edinburgh Delirium Test Box)
- Also known as
- DelBox, Edinburgh Delirium Test Box, EDTB
- Related profiles
- DelApp, DelApp-ICU
- Evidence summary
- single-discrimination-study
- Diagnostic-accuracy studies
- 2
- Reference standard
- Confusion Assessment Method delirium diagnosis
- Citation
- Brown LJ, Fordyce C, Zaghdani H, Starr JM, MacLullich AM Detecting deficits of sustained visual attention in delirium Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 2011;82(12):1334-40. PMID 20587493
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.