Risk Of Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction Research Articles

Predicting and Mitigating Risk of Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction: Is a Major Breakthrough on the Horizon?

Predicting and Mitigating Risk of Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction: Is a Major Breakthrough on the Horizon?

Longitudinal study on the trajectory and influencing factors of cognitive dysfunction in lung transplantation patients

IntroductionLung transplantation is an effective method for treating end-stage lung disease. It prolongs the survival time of patients, improves the quality of life, and prevents the degree of mental disability. In particular, postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is one of the complications after lung transplantation. Despite this, longitudinal studies on the identification and heterogeneity of cognitive dysfunction subgroup trajectories in transplant patients are lacking. Therefore, our study aimed to evaluate the factors that influence POCD in lung transplant patients. MethodsThis prospective longitudinal study included patients who underwent lung transplantation at the transplant center of Wuxi People's Hospital from September 2022 to September 2023. Patients with lung transplants were evaluated at 8 days (T1), 1 month (T2), 3 months (T3), and 6 months (T4) after the operation. The general information questionnaire evaluated cognitive functions using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) numerical rating scale (NRS) and the digital pain assessment to obtain the POCD values. Latent category growth model (LCGM) analysis was used to identify heterogeneous POCD subgroups in the four observation periods. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors affecting POCD classification and independent risk factors. ResultsBased on clinical outcomes, 79 patients completed all four surveys, of whom 16 were lost during the follow-up period (loss rate, 16.8%). The cognitive function by MoCA NRS score was 14.18 ± 5.32 points on day 8 (T1), 22.51 ± 5.13 points at 1 month (T2), 25.44 ± 3.61 at 3 months (T3), and 27.04 ± 3.03 points at 6 months (T4) after lung transplantation, showing an increasing trend. The LCGM, used to fit the trajectory of MoCA scores, observed a heterogeneous trajectory of changes in lung transplant patients. Based on this analysis, patients could be divided into two categories: those with high risk (25,32%) and those with low risk (54,68%). The single-factor analysis identified that POCD values were affected by early postoperative rehabilitation exercise, degree of pain, intensive care unit (ICU) stay time, and donor lung cold ischemia time (all P < 0.05). Using the low-risk group as the reference class, logistic regression analysis showed that the model could correctly classify the subjects. ConclusionOur 6-month observation of lung transplant patients showed that the degree of cognitive dysfunction had an overall downward trend and that patients could be divided into two trajectories of high and low risk for POCD. Early postoperative rehabilitation exercise, degree of pain, ICU stay time, and donor lung cold ischemia time were all influencing factors for POCD in lung transplant patients.

The Association of Plasma Leptin, Soluble Leptin Receptor and Total and High-Molecular Weight Adiponectin With the Risk of Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders

BackgroundPerioperative neurocognitive disorders (NCD) are poorly characterized in terms of their risk factor profiles. Leptin and adiponectin are adipose-tissue-derived hormones with a role in inflammation and atherosclerosis whose function in perioperative NCD is unclear. Here, we used a cohort of older adults to examine the association of preoperative plasma concentrations of these biomarkers with the risk of perioperative NCD. MethodsProspective analysis of 768 participants aged greater than or equal to 65 years of the BioCog study. Blood was collected before surgery for measurement of plasma total and high-molecular-weight (hmw) adiponectin, leptin, and soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R). The free leptin index (FLI, leptin:sOB-R) was calculated. Postoperative delirium (POD) was assessed twice daily until postoperative day 7/discharge. Five hundred twenty-six patients (68.5%) returned for 3-month follow-up and provided data on postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). POCD was defined as a decline on six neuropsychological tests that exceeded that of a nonsurgical control group. Logistic regression analyses examined the associations of each exposure with POD and POCD risk, in separate models adjusted for age, sex, fasting, surgery type, and body mass index (BMI). ResultsOf 768 patients, 152 (19.8%) developed POD. Of 526 attendants of the follow-up, 54 (10.3%) had developed POCD. Leptin, sOB-R, and total and hmw adiponectin were each not associated with POD. For POCD, we observed reduced risk in patients in FLI quartile four compared with quartile 1 (odds ratio, 0.26; 95% CI 0.08, 0.89). Sensitivity analyses for the outcome POD revealed statistically significant interaction terms of sOB-R and total adiponectin with obesity (BMI≥30kg/m2 versus BMI<30kg/m2). For the outcome POCD, a higher sOB-R was associated with an increased risk in the obese subgroup (odds ratio, 4.00; 95% CI 1.01, 15.86). ConclusionsWe did not find consistent evidence for the role of leptin, its receptor, and total and hmw adiponectin in POD and POCD risk. Future research should be used to support or refute our findings and to fully characterize any differences in the associations of these hormones with POD/POCD between obese and nonobese individuals.

Spinal Anesthesia Reduces Perioperative Polypharmacy and Opioid Burden in Patients Over 65 Who Undergo Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Polypharmacy and opioid administration are thought to increase the risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) and delirium in elderly patients. Spinal anesthesia (SA) holds potential to reduce perioperative polypharmacy in spine surgery. As more geriatric patients undergo spine surgery, understanding how SA can reduce polypharmacy and opioid administration is warranted. Compare the perioperative polypharmacy and dose of administered opioids in patients ≥65 years who undergo transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) under SA versus general anesthesia (GA). A retrospective analysis of 200 patients receiving a single-surgeon TLIF procedure at a single academic center (2014-2021) was performed. Patients underwent the procedure with SA (n =120) or GA (n=80). Demographic, procedural, and medication data were extracted from the medical record. Opioid consumption was quantified as morphine milligram equivalents (MME). Statistical analyses included Chi-square or Student's t-test. Patients receiving SA were administered 7.45 medications on average versus 12.7 for GA patients (p<0.001). Average perioperative opioid consumption was 5.17 MME and 20.2 MME in SA and GA patients, respectively (p<0.001). The number of patients receiving antiemetics and opioids remained comparable postoperatively, with a mean of 32.2 MME in the GA group versus 27.5 MME in the SA group (p=0.14). Antiemetics were administered less often as a prophylactic in the SA group (32%) versus 86% in the GA group (p<0.001). Spinal anesthesia reduces perioperative polypharmacy in patients ≥65 years undergoing TLIF procedures. Further research is necessary to determine if this reduction correlates to a decrease the incidence of POCD and delirium.

Preoperative mild cognitive impairment as a risk factor of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients undergoing spine surgery.

Any persistent degree of cognitive impairment in older adults is a concern as it can progress to dementia. This study aimed to determine the incidence and risk factors for early postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in elderly patients undergoing spine surgery. Patients were enrolled from a previous prospective observational study after screening for normal cognitive function using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Cognitive function was evaluated before surgery and at 1 week, month, and year post-surgery using MMSE and Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores (MoCA). Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was determined using the MoCA scores adjusted for age. POCD was defined as a drop of three or more points on the MMSE 1 week post-surgery. Multivariate logistic analysis was performed to identify POCD risk factors. A total of 427 patients were included. Eighty-five (20%) had pre-existing MCI. The MCI group showed lower MoCA scores at each time point (baseline, 1 week after surgery, 1 month after surgery, 1 year after surgery) compared to the non-MCI group. Those in the MCI group had a higher rate of admission to intensive care unit after surgery, postoperative delirium, and POCD 1 week post-surgery, than those in the non-MCI group (16.5% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.008; 27.1% vs. 15.8%, p = 0.024; and 18.8% vs. 8.2%, p < 0.001, respectively). Among them, 10.3% were assessed for POCD on postoperative day 7 and self-reported poor social roles and physical functioning 1 week postoperatively. Preoperative MCI was seen in ~20% of surgical patients aged >70 years. POCD was seen in ~20% of patients with pre-existing MCI, and ~ 10% of those without. Benzodiazepine use, significant comorbidities, pre-existing MCI, and depressive tendencies were risk factors for POCD.

A risk prediction model based on machine learning for postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients with non-cardiac surgery.

Early identification of elderly patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery who may be at high risk for postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) can increase the chances of prevention for them, as extra attention and limited resources can be allocated more to these patients. We performed this analysis with the aim of developing a simple, clinically useful machine learning (ML) model to predict the probability of POCD at 3months in elderly patients after non-cardiac surgery. We collected information on patients who received surgical treatment at Nanjing First Hospital from May 2020 to May 2021. We used LASSO regression to select key features and built 5 ML models to assess the risk of POCD at 3months in elderly patients after non-cardiac surgery. The Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and methods were introduced to interpret the best model. A total of 415 patients with non-cardiac surgery were included. The support vector machine (SVM) was the best-performing model of the five ML models. The model showed excellent performance compared to the other four models. The SHAP results showed that VAS score, age, intraoperative hypotension, and preoperative hemoglobin were the four most important features, indicating that the SVM model had good interpretability and reliability. The website of the web-based calculator was https://modricreagan-non-3-pocd-9w2q78.streamlit.app/ . Based on six important perioperative variables, we successfully established a series of ML models for predicting POCD occurrence at 3months after surgery in elderly non-cardiac patients, with SVM model being the best-performing model. Our models are expected to serve as decision aids for clinicians to monitor screened high-risk patients more closely or to consider further interventions.

Sublobar resection reduces the risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction compared with lobectomy.

Sublobar resection, including wedge resection and segmentectomy, is non-inferior to lobectomy in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer treatment. We aimed to compare the risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) between sublobar resection and lobectomy. We conducted a prospective cohort study. Patients with sublobar resection or lobectomy were divided into the sublobar group or the lobar group, respectively. Cognition was assessed before and after surgery with Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Minimum Mental State Examination tests. POCD is defined as Z score of Montreal Cognitive Assessment change ≤-1.96. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to make demographics well-balanced between the 2 groups. A total of 335 patients were enrolled. Both the postoperative 1-day POCD rate (sublobar 5.5% vs lobar 18.2%, P < 0.001) and the postoperative 1-month POCD rate (sublobar 7.9% vs lobar 21.8%, P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the sublobar group compared with lobar group, with demographics unbalanced between the 2 groups. In the 133 demographics-matched pairs obtained by PSM, both the postoperative 1-day POCD rate (sublobar 5.3% vs lobar 17.3%, P = 0.005) and the postoperative 1-month POCD rate (sublobar 8.3% vs lobar 18.8%, P = 0.018) remained significantly lower in the sublobar group than in the lobar group. The incidences of postoperative 1-day (P = 0.109) and postoperative 1-month (P = 0.026) Minimum Mental State Examination abnormity were also lower in the sublobar group than in the lobar group but only the latter was with statistical significance after PSM. Sublobar resection has an advantage over lobectomy in preventing POCD. Our findings might be a reference for selecting the most suitable type of resection for non-small-cell lung cancer patients.

Risk factors for postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients undergoing surgery for oral malignancies

We aimed to analyse postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) incidence and risk factors in elderly adults who underwent surgery for oral malignancies. A total of 112 elderly patients (aged ≥ 55 years) were selected for expanded resection of oral malignancy and cervical lymphatic dissection at our institution from December 2020 to December 2021. Participants were cognitively evaluated using the neuropsychological test scale 1 day before and 7 days after surgery to determine whether they had developed POCD. Based on whether POCD occurred 7 days after surgery, patients were classified into the POCD and non-POCD groups. Logistic regression was applied to perioperative factors to analyse the risk factors for POCD onset. Seven days after surgery for oral malignancy, there were 37 (33.1%) POCD morbidities. Multiple factor logistic regression analysis revealed that venerable age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.269, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.056–1.525, P < 0.05), low education levels (OR = 0.792, 95% CI 0.644–0.974, P < 0.05), hypertension (OR = 4.153, 95% CI 1.335–12.732, P < 0.05), dyssomnia (OR = 1.272, 95% CI 1.001–1.617, P < 0.05), prolonged anaesthesia (OR = 1.009, 95% CI 1.001–1.018, P < 0.05), and intraoperative hypotension (OR = 5.512, 95% CI 1.240–24.506, P < 0.05) increased the POCD risk in elderly patients who underwent surgery for oral malignancies. Venerable age, low knowledge reserve, hypertension, dyssomnia, prolonged anaesthesia, and intraoperative hypotension are independent risk factors for POCD in elderly patients with oral malignancies.

Intravenous lidocaine improves postoperative cognition in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery: a randomized, double-blind, controlled study

BackgroundThe risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction(POCD) in laparoscopic surgery should not be overlooked. Intravenous lidocaine can reduce perioperative inflammatory response in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, while the effect of intraoperative intravenous lidocaine on postoperative cognitive function in patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery has not been well studied. We investigated whether intraoperative lidocaine improves postoperative cognitive function after laparoscopic radical resection for colorectal cancer.MethodsWe conducted a prospective, randomized double blinded controlled trial to investigate the effect of intravenous lidocaine on rapid postoperative recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection of colorectal cancer. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous lidocaine or saline. The primary outcome was cognitive dysfunction defined by a decrease from pre- to postoperative ≥ 2 of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, at the 3rd and the 7th postoperative days. Secondary outcomes were the MMSE raw score and parameters of the patients’ postoperative recovery such as agitation and length of stay in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU), length of hospital stay, markers of inflammation (white blood cell count and CRP), and incidence of complications.ResultsSeventy-three patients in the lidocaine group and 77 patients in the control group completed the trial. The rate of cognitive dysfunction was lower in the lidocaine group than that in the control group, both at the 3rd (18.57% vs. 63.64% for each group respectively; RR = 0.26, 95%CI = 0.19–0.32; p < 0.0001) and at the 7th postoperative day (12.33% vs. 53.25% for each group respectively; RR = 0.28, 95%CI = 0.22–0.35; P < 0.001). The postoperative MMSE scores were also higher in the lidocaine group than in the control group both at the 3rd (median 25 vs. 24 respectively) and at the 7th postoperative day (26 vs. 24 respectively). Also, patients in the lidocaine group displayed a lower white blood cell count than the control group at the 1st postoperative day (8.5 ± 2.7 vs. 10.4 ± 3.3; p < 0. 001). No differences were evidenced for the other secondary outcomes.ConclusionsIntraoperative intravenous lidocaine can significantly improve postoperative cognitive function in patients undergoing laparoscopic radical resection of colorectal cancer.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry (16/1/2022, registration number: ChiCTR2200055683)

Metabolic syndrome and the risk of postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction: a multi-centre cohort study

BackgroundMetabolic syndrome and its components are risk factors for cognitive impairment, but their contribution to perioperative neurocognitive disorders is unknown. We examined their associations with the risk of postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in older patients. MethodsIn 765 male and female participants aged ≥65 years, we measured preoperative metabolic parameters and screened for POD for 7 days or until discharge. POCD was defined through comparison of cognitive change on six neuropsychological tests with non-surgical controls. Multiple logistic regression analyses examined the association of metabolic parameters with risk of POD and POCD with adjustment for age, sex, and surgery type. ResultsA total of 149 patients (19.5% of 765) developed POD and 53 (10.1% of 520 attendees) had POCD at 3 months. Patients with metabolic syndrome were at 1.85-fold higher risk of POD (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26–2.70). Each 1 mM higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was associated with a 0.47-fold lower POD risk (95% CI 0.30–0.74). Each 1 kg m−2 higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with a 1.09-fold higher POCD risk (95% CI 1.02– 1.16). ConclusionsOlder surgical patients with metabolic syndrome were at increased risk of POD. Only reduced HDL-C was significantly associated with POD. For POCD, a higher preoperative BMI was identified as a risk factor. These findings add to mounting evidence of a distinct epidemiology of POD and POCD. Screening programmes taking advantage of HDL-C and BMI measurements and of metabolic interventions in reducing perioperative neurocognitive disorders should be evaluated. Clinical trial registrationNCT02265263.

492 Periprocedural Polypharmacy in Lumbar Fusions Performed Under Spinal Anesthesia Compared to General Anesthesia

INTRODUCTION: Lumbar spinal surgery is most often performed under general endotracheal anesthesia (GEA), however spinal anesthesia (SA) is a safe and effective alternative. Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a complication of GEA and the risk of POCD is associated with anesthetic modality and perioperative polypharmacy. Despite the many benefits of SA described in the literature, its efficacy in decreasing polypharmacy has not yet been determined. METHODS: Demographic and procedural data of 424 patients undergoing single TLIF via GEA (n = 186) and SA (n = 238) were extracted from our institution’s electronic medical record. We investigated perioperative medication types, number of intraoperative hypotensive episodes, vasopressor requirement, and overall number of perioperative medications used between the two patient groups. RESULTS: The number of perioperative medications differed significantly between the two cohorts with the SA cohort receiving a mean of 4.5 medications and the GEA cohort receiving a mean of 10.5 medications (p &lt; 0.0001).This reduction in perioperative medications remained significant after a multivariable analysis to control for confounders (p &lt; 0.001 for all variables). Use of vasopressors was significantly reduced in the SA cohort (p &lt; 0.001), which coincided with a significant reduction in hypotensive episodes in the SA cohort (p &lt; 0.001). Patients undergoing TLIF via GEA had 3.6 times greater odds of experiencing a hypotensive episode intraoperatively (OR = 3.62, 95% CI [2.38-5.49]). CONCLUSIONS: Spinal anesthesia is associated with a significant decrease in perioperative medications, including lower vasopressor requirements. We postulate that SA may confer superior intraoperative hemodynamic stability which lowers pressor requirements. The decrease of perioperative medications may be an important contribution in reducing the incidence of POCD in patients undergoing TLIFs.

Effects of regional cerebral oxygen saturation monitoring on postoperative cognitive dysfunction in older patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background:Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is common after surgery and anesthesia, particularly in older patients. It has been reported that regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) monitoring potentially influences the occurrence of POCD. However, its role in the prevention of POCD remains controversial in older patients. Additionally, the quality of evidence on this topic is still relatively poor.Methods:The electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched using the indicated keywords from their inception to June 10, 2022. We limited our meta-analysis to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the effects of rSO2 monitoring on POCD in older patients. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed. The primary outcome was the incidence of POCD during hospitalization. The secondary outcomes were postoperative complications and the length of hospital stay (LOS). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to determine the incidence of POCD and postoperative complications. The standardized mean difference (SMD) instead of the raw mean difference and 95% CI were calculated for LOS.Results:Six RCTs, involving 377 older patients, were included in this meta-analysis. The incidence of POCD ranges from 17 to 89%, with an overall prevalence of 47% in our pooled analysis. Our results demonstrated that rSO2-guided intervention could reduce the incidence of POCD in older patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.25 to 0.79; P = 0.006) rather than cardiac surgery (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.32 to 1.52; P = 0.36). Intraoperative rSO2 monitoring was also associated with a significantly shorter LOS in older patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery (SMD, -0.93; 95% CI, -1.75 to -0.11; P = 0.03). Neither the incidence of postoperative cardiovascular (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.40 to 3.17; P = 0.83) nor surgical (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.35 to 1.75; P = 0.54) complications were affected by the use of rSO2 monitoring.Conclusion:The use of rSO2 monitoring is associated with a lower risk of POCD and a shorter LOS in older patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. This may have the potential to prevent POCD in high-risk populations. Further large RCTs are still warranted to support these preliminary findings.

Relationship between Heart Rate Variability and Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly Patients.

Objectives: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is objectively measurable after anesthesia and surgery. Lower heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with poorer cognitive performance, but the relationship between HRV and POCD remains unclear. Methods: Elderly patients who underwent total hip replacement under general anesthesia from the Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University were enrolled. Neuropsychological tests, standard deviation of the interbeat interval (SDNN, a parameter of HRV), and plasma concentrations of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factors (GDNF) were performed one day before (T-1) and 7 days after (T7) surgery. Results: POCD occurred in 35% of patients on 7 days after surgery. Lower SDNN(T7) (OR=.91) and longer surgery time (OR=1.33) were associated with POCD. Compared with patients without POCD, there was higher variation SDNN (Δ SDNN) and plasma GDNF (ΔGDNF) in those with POCD from T-1 to T7 period. ΔGDNF is positively correlated with ΔSDNN (r = .61, p<.001). Conclusions: Lower SDNN (T7) was associated with POCD and might be used as a warning indicator for the risk of POCD.

Peri-Operative Risk Factors Associated with Post-Operative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD): An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies

This umbrella review aimed to systematically identify the peri-operative risk factors associated with post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) using meta-analyses of observational studies. To date, no review has synthesised nor assessed the strength of the available evidence examining risk factors for POCD. Database searches from journal inception to December 2022 consisted of systematic reviews with meta-analyses that included observational studies examining pre-, intra- and post-operative risk factors for POCD. A total of 330 papers were initially screened. Eleven meta-analyses were included in this umbrella review, which consisted of 73 risk factors in a total population of 67,622 participants. Most pertained to pre-operative risk factors (74%) that were predominantly examined using prospective designs and in cardiac-related surgeries (71%). Overall, 31 of the 73 factors (42%) were associated with a higher risk of POCD. However, there was no convincing (class I) or highly suggestive (class II) evidence for associations between risk factors and POCD, and suggestive evidence (class III) was limited to two risk factors (pre-operative age and pre-operative diabetes). Given that the overall strength of the evidence is limited, further large-scale studies that examine risk factors across various surgery types are recommended.

The Relationship between the Incidence of Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction and Intraoperative Regional Cerebral Oxygen Saturation after Cardiovascular Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background: To assess whether intraoperative monitoring and intervention of regional cerebral oxygen saturation levels can reduce the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery and contribute to patient prognosis. Methods: The Cochrane Library, PubMed, and the Web of Science were systematically searched for relevant randomized controlled trials involving the effects of cerebral oxygen saturation on the cognitive function of patients after cardiovascular surgery from January 1, 2000 to May 1, 2022. The primary outcome was the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction. The secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay, length of mechanical ventilation, length of cardiopulmonary bypass, and other major postoperative outcomes such as renal failure, infection, arrhythmia, hospital mortality, and stroke. Data were pooled using the risk ratio or standardized mean difference with 95% confidence interval (CI). The original study protocol was registered prospectively with PROSPERO (CRD42020178068). Results: A total of 13 randomized controlled trials involving 1669 cardiovascular surgery patients were included. Compared with the control group, the risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction was significantly lower in the intervention group (RR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.30 to 0.85; p = 0.01; I2 = 71%). The Duration of stay in intensive care units in the intervention group was also significantly shorter than that in the control group (standard mean difference (SMD) = –0.14; 95% CI: –0.26 to –0.01; p = 0.03; I2 = 26%). Univariate meta-regression analyses showed that age is a major source of heterogeneity. Conclusions: Our current study suggests that intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation monitoring and intervention can significantly reduce the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and the length of intensive care unit stay after intervention is considerably reduced. Given that some limits in this review, more high-quality, and long-term trials are still needed to certify our findings.

Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase correlates with postoperative cognitive dysfunction: A retrospective cohort study based on STROBE statement.

Little is known about the association between serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) after general anesthesia. Thus, we investigated the association of serum ALP levels with POCD in patients who underwent surgery with general anesthesia in a retrospective cohort study. We retrospectively collected data from patients who underwent surgery with general anesthesia between May 2016 and June 2020. Serum ALP activity was detected using a p-nitrophenyl phosphate assay. Pre-and postoperative cognitive function were evaluated using the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to explore the effect of ALP on cognitive function. The incidence of POCD was 13.5%. Compared with the control group, the POCD group had higher ALP levels. The neuropsychological test results suggested that the scores of most items were lower in the POCD group than in the non-POCD group. Univariate logistic regression indicated that increased ALP levels were significantly associated with cognitive dysfunction (odds ratio = 1.15, 95% confidence interval: 1.13-1.18, P = .000). Multivariate regression showed that elevated ALP was still associated with POCD after adjusting for confounding factors (odds ratio = 1.16, 95% confidence interval: 1.13-1.18, P = .000). The spline regression model indicated the dose-response associations between ALP level and POCD risk (P for nonlinear trend < .001). Our study indicated that elevated serum ALP was an independent predictive factor of POCD at the 3-month follow-up. The occurrence of POCD could be associated with inflammatory status.

Effect of preoperative, high-dose glucocorticoid on early cognitive function after abdominal wall reconstruction – A randomized controlled trial

IntroductionPreoperative high-dose glucocorticoid (GC) improves postoperative recovery and reduces length of stay but increases the risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). Whether preoperative high-dose GC increases the risk of POCD in abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) is unknown. Material and methodsThis was a double-blind randomized controlled trial examining the effect of 125 mg methylprednisolone (MP) iv versus placebo (saline) iv given as a single dose at anesthesia induction. Cognitive function was tested pre- and postoperatively by The Trail Making Test (TMT) A and TMT-B. Outcome of TMT is time (seconds) to complete the test; the longer the time, the worse the impairment. Primary endpoint was individual change preoperative to postoperative day (POD) 1 on TMT-B. Secondary endpoints were individual change preoperative to: POD1 on TMT-A, POD2 on TMT-A and TMT-B, and POD30 on TMT-A and TMT-B, respectively. ResultsA total of 33 patients (MP: n = 17; placebo: n = 16) were analyzed for primary endpoint. There was no significant difference between the groups in primary endpoint (MP group median 1s (IQR -7 − 23) vs. placebo group median 12s (IQR -5 − 34), p = 0.521). The MP group was significantly faster than the placebo group preoperative to POD30 on TMT-A (MP group median −10s (IQR -16 − 4) vs. placebo group median -4s (IQR -8 – 1), p = 0.046). There were no significant differences in remaining secondary endpoints. ConclusionPreoperative high-dose GC is not associated with increased risk of early POCD in elective AWR for a large incisional hernia.

Effect of dexmedetomidine on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment in older patients undergoing pulmonary surgery.

ObjectiveWe investigated the effect of dexmedetomidine anesthesia on postoperative cognitive function after pulmonary surgery.MethodsA blinded, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study was performed on 60 patients (age range 65–74 years) undergoing lobectomy by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (29 in the dexmedetomidine group; 31 in the placebo group). Dexmedetomidine group patients received dexmedetomidine, and placebo group patients received an equal volume of physiological saline 20 minutes before anesthesia induction. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment 1 day before surgery and on postoperative day (POD)1, POD3, and POD7. The regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) was monitored continuously by near-infrared spectroscopy before anesthesia.ResultsThe Montreal Cognitive Assessment score was significantly different between the two groups on POD1 (dexmedetomidine 26.4  ±  0.73 vs. placebo 25.5 ± 0.96) and POD3 (dexmedetomidine 27.1 ± 0.79 vs. placebo 26.6 ± 0.80). Specifically, attention and orientation scores were increased in the dexmedetomidine group on POD1 and POD3. The rSO2 was not significantly different between the dexmedetomidine and placebo groups.ConclusionDexmedetomidine given before induction of anesthesia could reduce the risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction and might not decrease rSO2. Hence, dexmedetomidine could be employed in pulmonary surgical procedures, especially for older patients with a high risk of cognitive dysfunction.

Novel Bedside Dynamic Nomograms to Predict the Probability of Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Study.

PurposeEarly and accurate prediction of elderly patients at high risk of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) after non-cardiac surgery will provide favorable evidence for rational perioperative management and long-term postoperative recovery. This study aimed to develop bedside dynamic nomograms to provide accurately an individualized prediction of the risk of POCD at 6-month postoperatively with patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery and to guide clinical decision-making and postoperative management.Patients and MethodsWe retrospectively collected patients undergoing surgical treatment at the Nanjing First Hospital between May 2020 and May 2021. We collected the data on preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables. Clinical and laboratory data on admission and intraoperative variables and postoperative variables were used. We measured the performances of the nomograms using sensitivity, specificity of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC), the area under the ROC curves (AUC), the 10-fold cross-validation, and decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsPOCD was observed in 23 of 415 patients (5.6%) at 6-month postoperatively. The preoperative and postoperative models obtained 91.6% and 94.0% accuracy rates on the data. Compared to the preoperative model, the postoperative model had an area under the receiver characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.973 vs 0.947, corresponding to a specificity of 0.941 vs 0.918 and a sensitivity of 0.913 vs 0.870. The overall performance of the postoperative model was better than the preoperative model.ConclusionIn this study, we developed novel bedside dynamic nomograms with reasonable clinical utility that can provide individualized prediction of POCD risk at 6-month postoperatively in elderly patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery at different time points based on patient admission and postoperative data. External validations are needed to ensure their value in predicting POCD in elderly patients.

Influence of dexmedetomidine on postoperative cognitive dysfunction in the elderly: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

IntroductionDexmedetomidine (Dex) is suggested to be neuroprotective. However, influence of Dex on postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in the elderly remains unknown.MethodsWe performed a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effect of Dex on POCD. Relevant studies were obtained by search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane's Library databases. A random‐effect model was used to pool the results.ResultsFourteen RCTs including 1626 adults of 60 years or older who received surgery with general anesthesia were included. Because methodologically diverse scales were used for POCD, eight RCTs with POCD diagnosed with Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) were included in the meta‐analysis, while the remaining six RCTs with POCD diagnosed with other scales were qualitative synthesized. Pooled results of RCTs with MMSE showed that Dex significantly reduced the incidence of POCD (risk ratio: 0.47, 95% confidence interval: 0.37–0.60, p < 0.001) with no significant heterogeneity (I 2 = 0%) or publication bias (p for Egger's regression test = 0.579). For the remaining six RCTs with POCD diagnosed with other scales, three of them showed that Dex was associated with a significantly lower incidence of POCD, while the other three RCTs did not show a significant difference.ConclusionsDex is associated with a reduced risk of POCD in elderly patients receiving surgeries with general anesthesia, and the results were mainly obtained in studies with POCD diagnosed with MMSE. Based on these findings, Dex may be considered as a preventative measure for POCD in elderly patients.