Table 3 Adjusted cox regression model for the effect of the four core symptoms of delirium status on mortality, sequentially adjusted for clinically relevant covariates

 Acute onset (n = 583)

1.88

1.80

1.80

1.76

1.46

1.41

(1.45, 2.42)

(1.39, 2.33)

(1.39, 2.33)

(1.35, 2.29)

(1.11, 1.91)

(1.07, 1.86)

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p = 0.007*

p = 0.016*

 Inattention (n = 576)

1.80

1.74

1.75

1.73

1.33

1.24

(1.40, 2.32)

(1.35, 2.25)

(1.36, 2.26)

(1.34, 2.24)

(1.01, 1.77)

(0.92, 1.67)

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p = 0.044*

p = 0.152

 Disorganised thinking (n = 563)

2.06

1.97

2.01

1.94

1.52

1.42

(1.59, 2.67)

(1.51, 2.55)

(1.54, 2.54)

(1,48, 2.54)

(1.14, 2.04)

(1.05, 1.92)

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p = 0.005*

p = 0.024*

 Altered level of consciousness (n = 588)

2.04

1.95

1.96

1.82

1.41

1.33

(1.58, 2.63)

(1.50, 2.52)

(1.51, 2.53)

(1.40, 2.37)

(1.06, 1.88)

(0.98, 1.79)

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p < 0.001*

p = 0.018*

p = 0.063