Good's Criteria for Diagnosing Delirium
I cannot find any established diagnostic criteria called "Good's criteria" for delirium in the medical literature provided or in standard medical references.
What You May Be Looking For Instead
The established diagnostic criteria for delirium are based on DSM-5 or ICD criteria, not "Good's criteria." 1, 2 The confusion may stem from terminology, as there is no recognized "Good's criteria" in delirium diagnosis.
The Actual Gold Standard Diagnostic Approaches
Delirium diagnosis should be made by a trained healthcare professional using clinical assessment based on DSM-5 or ICD criteria. 1, 2
DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria for Delirium
The American Psychiatric Association's DSM-5 defines delirium as requiring 2, 3:
- Disturbance in attention and awareness (reduced orientation to environment)
- Acute onset and fluctuating course (develops over hours to days, with severity varying throughout the day)
- Additional cognitive disturbance (memory deficit, disorientation, language, visuospatial ability, or perception)
- Not better explained by another neurocognitive disorder and not occurring in severely reduced arousal (coma)
- Evidence from history, examination, or laboratory findings that the disturbance is caused by a medical condition, substance intoxication/withdrawal, or medication side effect
The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM)
The CAM is the most widely used and validated diagnostic instrument for delirium, with 82% sensitivity and 99% specificity. 1, 2, 3 The CAM algorithm requires 1:
- Acute onset and fluctuating course (mandatory)
- Inattention (mandatory)
- Either disorganized thinking OR altered level of consciousness (one required)
A diagnosis of delirium by CAM requires features 1 AND 2 AND either 3 or 4. 1
Practical Assessment Components
When using the CAM, trained healthcare staff should also administer 1:
- Brief cognitive tests such as the Short Orientation Memory Concentration Test (SOMCT) 1
- Attention testing such as asking the patient to recite months of the year backwards (MOTYB) 1, 3
- Collateral history from family members to establish baseline cognitive function 1, 4
Common Pitfall
Do not confuse "Good's criteria" with established diagnostic criteria. There is no such entity in delirium diagnosis. Always use DSM-5/ICD criteria or validated tools like the CAM for accurate diagnosis. 1, 2, 5