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Association between nicotine-dependent patients and delirium in intensive care units: a retrospective cohort study using a large clinical database
Mengqing Yang, Zhengxin Hu, Yun Huang, Guo‐Hao Zhang, Fengguang Kang, Dezhu Chen. BMC Psychiatry, 2025-11-07
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
A total of 24,043 patients were included, with 2,662 (11.07%) in the ND group. After PSM, baseline characteristics were balanced. The ND group had a significantly higher incidence of delirium than the non-ND group (30.8% vs. 27.2%, P = 0.004), with no significant differences in mortality or length of stay. Multivariate Cox and competing risk models confirmed that ND was independently associated with increased ICU delirium risk. Findings remained consistent in PSM and sensitivity analyses. Nicotine dependence significantly increases the risk of ICU delirium. These results highlight the need for targeted risk assessment and intervention strategies in ND patients admitted to the ICU.
Key findings
- A total of 24,043 patients were included, with 2,662 (11.07%) in the ND group.
- After PSM, baseline characteristics were balanced.
- The ND group had a significantly higher incidence of delirium than the non-ND group (30.8% vs. 27.2%, P = 0.004), with no significant differences in mortality or length of stay.
- Multivariate Cox and competing risk models confirmed that ND was independently associated with increased ICU delirium risk.
- Findings remained consistent in PSM and sensitivity analyses.
Why it matters
This retrospective cohort study found that nicotine-dependent patients had a significantly higher incidence of intensive care unit delirium than non-dependent patients, with no significant differences in mortality or length of stay. It identifies a risk factor for delirium and does not test any treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants24,043
- Effect size11.07%; 30.8%; 27.2%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 48 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 50 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (BMC Psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | BMC Psychiatry: journal h-index 198 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 4 / 4 | 24,043 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine: institution h-index 248 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41204219) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 48 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 48 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 50 out of 100. |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Yang, M., Hu, Z., Huang, Y., Zhang, G., Kang, F., & Chen, D. (2025). Association between nicotine-dependent patients and delirium in intensive care units: a retrospective cohort study using a large clinical database. BMC Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07507-7
Vancouver
Yang M, Hu Z, Huang Y, Zhang G, Kang F, Chen D. Association between nicotine-dependent patients and delirium in intensive care units: a retrospective cohort study using a large clinical database. BMC Psychiatry. 2025. doi:10.1186/s12888-025-07507-7. PMID: 41204219.
BibTeX
@article{yang2025-41204219,
author = {Yang, Mengqing and Hu, Zhengxin and Huang, Yun and Zhang, Guo‐Hao and Kang, Fengguang and Chen, Dezhu},
title = {{Association between nicotine-dependent patients and delirium in intensive care units: a retrospective cohort study using a large clinical database}},
journal = {BMC Psychiatry},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1186/s12888-025-07507-7},
pmid = {41204219},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07507-7}
}
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