Chen K, Yang YL, Li HL, et al. - Researchers sought to report on the current practice of pain, agitation-sedation and delirium assessments in Chinese intensive care units (ICUs). In addition, they examined the gap between physicians’ perception and actual clinical performance. Thirty three members of the Neuro-Critical Care Committee affiliated with the Chinese Association of Critical Care Physicians were invited. This one-day point prevalence study combined with an on-site questionnaire survey had 24 ICUs (14 general-, 5 neuroscience-, 3 surgical-, and 2 emergency-ICUs) from 20 hospitals as participants. A total of 387 patients were enrolled including 261 (67.4%) brain-injured and 126 (32.6%) non-brain-injured patients. The pain and agitation-sedation scale assessment were performed in 19.9% and 25.6% patients, respectively. Relative to non-brain-injured patients, brain-injured patients underwent these two types of assessments at significantly lower rates. Only three patients had delirium assessment performed. Data obtained from a survey questionnaire, which contained an attitude for importance of pain, agitation-sedation and delirium assessments, completed by 91 physicians described routine use of pain and agitation-sedation scale assessments in 70.3% and 82.4%, respectively. Daily screening for delirium using an assessment scale was reported by more than half of the physicians. Findings overall suggest that in Chinese ICUs, there is suboptimal actual prevalence of pain, agitation-sedation and delirium assessment, especially delirium screening. A gap was identified between physicians’ perceptions and actual clinical practice in pain, agitation-sedation and delirium assessments.