Effect of a Modified Hospital Elder Life Program on Delirium and Length of Hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Abdominal Surgery: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial

Nurse-perceived barriers and facilitators influencing optimal delirium care in acute care patients: Findings from the INVOLVE_RN study on barriers and facilitators

AIM

To describe nurses' practices and highlight perceived barriers and facilitators influencing optimal delirium care in acute care patients.

METHODS

A two phase, multi method design was used. The quantitative phase utilized a self-reported survey to assess nurses' knowledge, practice, confidence, and collaboration regarding delirium care. The qualitative phase employed focus groups. Recruitment took place on nine acute surgical and medical units across two university-affiliated hospitals in Canada.

RESULTS

231 nurses exhibited solid knowledge of delirium symptoms and outcomes, yet 23 % did not identify the hypoactive form's prevalence. While 81 % reported receiving information on delirium screening, challenges included time constraints and excessive tool use. Qualitative analysis highlighted themes such as communication's vital role and challenges posed by delirium presentations.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings align with existing literature, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of delirium care and the need for tailored approaches, education, and collaborative strategies to improve overall care quality.

Implementation of intervention programs specifically tailored for patients with cognitive impairment as comorbidity in early rehabilitation during acute hospitalization: An umbrella and scoping review

INTRODUCTION

Cognitive impairment (CI) is common among older hospitalized patients, posing risks for adverse events. However, the extent to which early rehabilitation interventions address CI needs is unclear. This umbrella and scoping review evaluates CI consideration in such interventions during acute hospitalization.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Systematic reviews on early rehabilitation interventions for older patients were screened. Inclusion criteria encompassed CI mention in titles/objectives, patient assessment/description, inclusion of CI patients, (sub-) analyses by cognitive status, and tailored interventions.

RESULTS

Of 199 studies, only 3% addressed CI in titles/objectives, 68% assessed cognitive status, and 42% lacked CI patient information. Only 4% targeted CI patients, 55% included mixed populations. In 12% of studies, CI patient results were reported, 8% adjusted analyses for CI. Only 5% tailored interventions for CI.

DISCUSSION

Despite high prevalence, CI patients are largely overlooked in early rehabilitation. Future studies should consider CI in assessment, description, analysis, and intervention design.

Preventative interventions for postoperative delirium after intraabdominal surgery - A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a significant complication associated with extended hospital stays, increased healthcare costs, and heightened morbidity and mortality. With an aging population, the incidence of POD is expected to rise, making the development of effective prevention strategies critical. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive interventions in reducing POD after intraabdominal surgery.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Databases including MEDLINE, Embase, and The Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined preventive strategies for POD in adult patients undergoing intraabdominal surgery. The primary outcome was the incidence of POD, analyzed using a random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Sixteen RCTs involving 4060 participants were included. Preventive interventions reduced the risk of POD by 49 ​% (RR: 0.51; 95 ​% CI: 0.36 to 0.73; I2 ​= ​61.2 ​%). No significant effects were observed on secondary outcomes such as 30-day and 180-day mortality or length of hospital stay. Subgroup analyses showed a more pronounced effect in laparoscopic surgeries and smaller trials with higher risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Preventive interventions are effective in reducing the incidence of POD after intraabdominal surgery. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating standardized screening and intervention protocols to improve surgical outcomes, especially in high-risk populations. Further research should focus on refining prevention strategies and exploring the underlying mechanisms of POD.

Outcomes of a delirium prevention program after major abdominal emergency surgery: An interventional study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium is a common complication after emergency surgery. Delirium is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Clinical approach varies and pharmacological treatment is ineffective. We aimed to investigate if a structured non-pharmacological multidisciplinary intervention could reduce postoperative delirium.

METHODS

An interventional study including all patients aged 65 years or older undergoing major abdominal emergency surgery in an 8 month period. The intervention consisted of improved screening, staff, patient, and family education, ward modifications and nurse-led daily motor and sensory stimulation. Data was obtained from medical records. Results were compared to an unmatched historic cohort. Primary outcome was occurrence of delirium, secondary outcomes were mortality, postoperative complications, and length of stay.

RESULTS

312 patients were included, 81 in the study group and 231 in the control group. Delirium occurred in 6.2% of the interventional group compared to 15.2% in the historic cohort (p = 0.038). In a multivariate regression analysis, the rate of delirium was significantly reduced in the interventional group; OR 0.185 95% CI (0.04-0.81), p = 0.026. The 90 day mortality was 14.8% in the interventional group and 8.7% in the historic cohort (p = 0.116). The rate of overall medical complications was significantly lower in the study group (37% vs. 63%, p < 0.001). Median length of stay was 6 days in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

A structured cluster intervention may prevent the occurrence of postoperative delirium. The intervention did not reduce mortality or length of stay, but the need for supplementary nursing staff was eliminated.

Impact of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol with multimodal anesthesia on perioperative outcomes after open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

OBJECTIVE

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) clinical pathways have demonstrated improved perioperative outcomes after major surgery. However, its adoption within vascular surgery has been limited. In this study, we examined the impact of an ERAS protocol with multimodal anesthesia on open abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair by comparing early outcomes before and after its implementation.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed early outcomes after elective open repairs of intact AAA performed from 2013 to 2023 at a single institution. Eighty consecutive patients treated after implementation of an ERAS protocol with multimodal anesthesia were compared with 161 patients treated before its implementation. Propensity score matching based on age, gender, body mass index, Vascular Quality Initiative AAA Mortality Risk Score, Rockwood Frailty Scale, aortic cross clamp location, aneurysm size, and type of exposure was performed to achieve one:one matching using the nearest neighbor technique. Quantile and logistic regression assessed the impact of the ERAS protocol on length of stay, 30-day mortality, opioid consumption (morphine milligram equivalents), hospital cost, complications, and readmissions.

RESULTS

Both groups (ERAS vs pre-ERAS, respectively) were predominantly male (80% vs 73%; P = .27), with a median age of 74 years. Similar mean Vascular Quality Initiative predicted mortality (2.9% vs 4.0%; P = .13), clinical frailty score (3.1 vs 3.3; P = .17), aneurysm size (60 mm vs 62 mm; P = .06), rates of suprarenal cross-clamp (76% vs 88%; P = .07), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (29% vs 31%; P = .73), chronic kidney disease (14% vs 16%; P = .66), myocardial disease (16% vs 20%; P = .54), and cerebrovascular disease (15% vs 19%; P = .53) were observed in the matched groups. ERAS was associated with a reduction in length of stay by 3 days (P < .001), a decrease in opioid consumption by 37 morphine milligram equivalents (P < .001), and a reduction in hospital costs by US$4704 (P < .001). There was a trend toward a lower risk of major complications (odds ratio, 0.44; 95% confidence interval, 0.2-1.1; P = .06). Thirty-day mortality (5% vs 6.3%; P = .73) and readmission (7.9% vs 13.2%; P = .29) rates were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

An ERAS protocol using a multimodal anesthesia was associated with improved early outcomes compared with patients treated before ERAS implementation. These results mirror similar benefits seen in nonvascular ERAS programs, and broader application should be considered in institutions that perform a high volume of open aortic repairs.

Risk of sarcopenia, frailty and malnutrition as predictors of postoperative delirium in surgery

BACKGROUND

The risk factors for postoperative delirium are numerous and complex. One approach to identifying patients at risk is to evaluate their nutritional status. The aim of this prospective study is to better understand nutrition as a potential risk factor for postoperative delirium.

METHODS

A comprehensive preoperative assessment (Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), the SARC-F questionnaire, Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF)) were carried out as a prospective clinical study on 421 patients (70+) from 4 different surgical disciplines. Postoperatively, patients are examined daily for the presence of delirium using the 4AT screening tool (Arousal, Attention, Abbreviated Mental Test - 4, Acute change), the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (NuDesc) and the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) with its adaptation for the intensive care unit (CAM-ICU).

RESULTS

If there were indications of frailty or sarcopenia in the CFS or SARC-F, the association with delirium was increased 5.34-fold (OR of 5.34 [95% CI: 2.57;11.1]) and 5.56-fold (OR of 5.56 [95% CI: 2.97;10.4]) respectively. Delirium also occurred significantly more frequently with the risk of malnutrition or manifest malnutrition (MNA-SF) than with a normal nutritional status.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients' preoperative and nutritional status significantly impact the risk of developing postoperative delirium. Factors such as frailty, sarcopenia and possible malnutrition must be considered when implementing an effective and targeted preoperative assessment.

TRAIL REGISTRATION

German Clinical Trials Registry at https://www.drks.de/DRKS00028614 , Registered 25 March 2022.

The Effect of Multidimensional Nursing Interventions on the Incidence of Delirium in Patients with COVID-19

Background

In patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the incidence of delirium has been increased due to the nature of the disease and the specific protective protocols implemented to control the outbreak of this disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of multidimensional nursing interventions on the incidence of delirium in patients with COVID-19.

Materials and Methods

A quasiexperimental study (preintervention, postintervention assessment) was conducted in168 patients (84 patients in each group) with COVID-19 admitted to the general wards of Hazrat Ali-Asghar Educational Hospital in Shiraz, Iran, between May and June 2021. At first, based on inclusion criteria, the control group was selected to prevent information transmission between the study groups. The control group was treated as usual, but the intervention group received a three-part intervention that included nurse-related, patient-related, and environment-related measures. A Demographic Information Form and the Richmond Agitation Sedation Score and the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist were completed for each patient. The collected data were analyzed.

Results

25.30% of patients in the control group and 10.50% of patients in the intervention group experienced delirium (χ 2 = 5.72, p < 0.05). The results showed that the incidence of delirium was significantly lower in the intervention group. The mean number of days during which the patients experienced delirium was insignificantly lower in the intervention group (U = 2.56, p > 0.05). The mean length of hospital stay was also significantly lower in the control group (U = -2.41, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The multidimensional nursing interventions effectively reduced the incidence of delirium in patients with COVID-19.

Prediction of Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults from Preoperative Cognition and Occipital Alpha Power from Resting-State Electroencephalogram

Background

Postoperative delirium is the most common complication following surgery among older adults, and has been consistently associated with increased mortality and morbidity, cognitive decline, and loss of independence, as well as markedly increased health-care costs. Electroencephalography (EEG) spectral slowing has frequently been observed during episodes of delirium, whereas intraoperative frontal alpha power is associated with postoperative delirium. We sought to identify preoperative predictors that could identify individuals at high risk for postoperative delirium, which could guide clinical decision-making and enable targeted interventions to potentially decrease delirium incidence and postoperative delirium-related complications.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, we used machine learning to evaluate whether baseline (preoperative) cognitive function and resting-state EEG could be used to identify patients at risk for postoperative delirium. Preoperative resting-state EEGs and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment were collected from 85 patients (age = 73 ± 6.4 years, 12 cases of delirium) undergoing elective surgery. The model with the highest f1-score was subsequently validated in an independent, prospective cohort of 51 older adults (age = 68 ± 5.2 years, 6 cases of delirium) undergoing elective surgery.

Results

Occipital alpha powers have higher f1-score than frontal alpha powers and EEG spectral slowing in the training cohort. Occipital alpha powers were able to predict postoperative delirium with AUC, specificity and accuracy all >90%, and sensitivity >80%, in the validation cohort. Notably, models incorporating transformed alpha powers and cognitive scores outperformed models incorporating occipital alpha powers alone or cognitive scores alone.

Conclusions

While requiring prospective validation in larger cohorts, these results suggest that strong prediction of postoperative delirium may be feasible in clinical settings using simple and widely available clinical tools. Additionally, our results suggested that the thalamocortical circuit exhibits different EEG patterns under different stressors, with occipital alpha powers potentially reflecting baseline vulnerabilities.

Cognitive prehabilitation for older adults undergoing elective surgery: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

Background

Perioperative cognitive maintenance and protection in older adults is an important patient safety imperative. In addition to foundational care, one area of growing interest is integrating cognitive prehabilitation into the surgical trajectory. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of cognitive prehabilitation on cognitive functional capacity and postoperative cognitive outcomes among older adults undergoing elective surgery.

Methods

The MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PEDro, CBM, CNKI, WANFANG, and VIP databases were systematically searched up to September 5, 2024, to identify randomized controlled trials published for English or Chinese. Two authors independently completed the study selection process, data extraction process and methodological quality assessment. The Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study design framework was used to construct the search strategy. The predefined primary outcomes of interest included the incidence of postoperative delirium (POD) and the incidence of delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR). The quality of the studies was evaluated by the PEDro scale. Owing to the small number of trials and clinical and methodological diversity, a narrative synthesis was undertaken in accordance with the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis guidelines. This study was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system.

Results

Six studies were analysed. These trials involved 645 total participants, with 316 in the intervention group (mean age, 66.0-73.8 years; 38.4-77.8% male) and 329 in the comparator group (mean age, 67.5-72.6 years; 31.8-88.9% male). The effects of preoperative cognitive training on reducing the incidence of dNCR, the incidence of POD, the length of hospital stay and the incidence of postsurgical complications as well as improving postoperative global cognitive function and activities of daily living are quite uncertain. The results of this study should be interpreted with caution owing to the limited number of trials and low to very low certainty of evidence.

Conclusion

Current evidence on the effectiveness and safety of cognitive prehabilitation on cognitive and noncognitive outcomes in older patients undergoing elective surgery is limited and unclear.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=277191, Identifier CRD42021277191.

The impact of geriatric-specific variables on long-term outcomes in patients with hepatopancreatobiliary and colorectal cancer selected for resection

BACKGROUND

Preoperative geriatric-specific variables (GSV) influence short-term morbidity in surgical patients, but their impact on long-term survival in elderly patients with cancer remains undefined.

STUDY DESIGN

This observational cohort study included patients ≥65 years who underwent hepatopancreatobiliary or colorectal operations for malignancy between 2014 and 2020. Individual patient data included merged ACS NSQIP data, Procedure Targeted, and Geriatric Surgery Research variables. Patients were stratified by age: 65-74, 75-84, and ≥85 and presence of these GSVs: mobility aid, preoperative falls, surrogate signed consent, and living alone. Bivariable and multivariable analyses were used to evaluate 1-year mortality and postoperative discharge to facility.

RESULTS

577 patients were included: 62.6 % were 65-74 years old, 31.7 % 75-84, and 5.7 % ≥ 85. 96 patients were discharged to a facility with frequency increasing with age group (11.4 % vs 22.4 % vs 42.4 %, respectively, p < 0.001). 73 patients (12.7 %) died during 1-year follow-up, 32.9 % from cancer recurrence. One-year mortality was associated with undergoing hepatopancreatobiliary operations (p = 0.017), discharge to a facility (p = 0.047), and a surrogate signing consent (p = 0.035). Increasing age (p < 0.001), hepatopancreatobiliary resection (p = 0.002), living home alone (p < 0.001), and mobility aid use (p < 0.001) were associated with discharge to a facility.

CONCLUSION

Geriatric-specific variables, living alone and use of a mobility aid, were associated with discharge to a facility. A surrogate signing consent and discharge to a facility were associated with 1-year mortality. These findings underscore the importance of preoperative patient selection and optimization, efficacious discharge planning, and informed decision-making in the care of elderly cancer patients.

Surgical outcomes in surgical oncology patients who participated in a family involvement program

BACKGROUND

There is a lack of evidence regarding the relationship between family involvement and outcomes in gastrointestinal oncology patients after surgery. To evaluate the effect of a family involvement program for patients undergoing oncologic gastrointestinal surgery on unplanned readmissions within 30 days after surgery.

METHODS

A multicenter patient-preference cohort study compared 2 groups: patients who participated in the family involvement program versus usual care. The program comprised involvement of family caregivers in care and training of health care professionals in family-centered care. Multivariable regression analyses were used to evaluate the effect of the FIP on the number of unplanned readmissions up to 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included complications sensitive to fundamental care activities, emergency department visits, intensive care unit admissions, hospital length of stay, and the need for professional home care after discharge.

RESULTS

Of the 301 patients included, 152 chose the family involvement program, and 149 chose usual care. Postoperative readmissions occurred in 25 (16.4%) patients in the family involvement program group, and 15 (10.1%) in the usual care group (P = .11). A significant reduction of 16.2% was observed in the need for professional home care after discharge in the family involvement program group (P < .01). No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in the other secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The family involvement program did not reduce the number of unplanned readmissions, but it led to a substantial reduction in-home care, which suggests an economic benefit from a societal perspective. Implementation of the family involvement program should, therefore, be considered in clinical practice.

Characteristics associated with effectiveness in postoperative delirium research: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials with meta-regression and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium remains prevalent despite extensive research through randomised trials aimed at reducing its incidence. Understanding trial characteristics associated with interventions' effectiveness facilitates data interpretation.

METHODS

Trial characteristics were extracted from eligible trials identified through two systematic literature searches. Multivariable meta-regression was used to investigate trial characteristics associated with effectiveness estimated using odds ratios. Meta-analysis was used to investigate pooled effectiveness.

RESULTS

We identified 201 eligible trials. Compared with China, trials from the USA/Canada (ratio of odds ratio, 1.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.45-2.45) and Europe/Australia/New Zealand (1.67; 1.29-2.18) had an 89% and 67% higher odds ratio, respectively, suggesting reduced effectiveness. The effectiveness was enhanced when the incidence of postoperative delirium increased (0.85; 0.79-0.92, per 10% increase). Trials with concerns related to deviations from intended interventions reported increased effectiveness compared with those at low risk (0.69; 0.53-0.90). Compared with usual care, certain interventions appeared to have reduced the incidence of postoperative delirium in low-risk trials with low-to-moderate certainty of evidence. However, these findings should be considered inconclusive because of challenges in grouping heterogeneous interventions, the limited number of eligible trials, the prevalence of small-scale studies, and potential publication bias.

CONCLUSIONS

The effectiveness of postoperative delirium trials varied based on the region of trial origin, the incidence of delirium, and the risk of bias. The limitations caution against drawing definitive conclusions from different bodies of evidence. These findings highlight the imperative need to improve the quality of research on a global scale.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL

PROSPERO (CRD42023413984).

Effect of the nurse-led Hospital Elder Life Program on delirium reduction among delirious patients with COVID-19: A randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, are high-risk factors for delirium. However, the implementation of nonpharmacological interventions faces major challenges during an infectious disease pandemic.

AIMS

To evaluate the effect of the nurse-led Hospital Elder Life Program (NL-HELP) on delirium reduction among delirious patients with COVID-19.

DESIGN

A single-blind randomized clinical trial.

METHODS

This study recruited 122 delirious patients with COVID-19 from internal medicine wards at West China Hospital in China between January 30 and March 31, 2023. Participants were randomized to the NL-HELP group (n = 62) or the usual care group (n = 60). Patients in the intervention group received the NL-HELP protocol three times daily for 7 days. Patients in the control group received usual care. The primary outcome was the absence/presence of delirium during the intervention period measured by the 3-min Diagnostic Confusion Assessment Method.

RESULTS

Fewer patients remained delirious in the NL-HELP group than in the control group. There were significantly more delirium-free days in the NL-HELP group than in the usual care group. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of delirium severity, length of hospital stay, delirium at 30 days after discharge, 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, physical function or quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that NL-HELP could reduce the presence of delirium in delirious patients. No effect was observed in terms of shortening the length of hospital stay, reducing 30-day mortality, or improving quality of life.

IMPACT

NL-HELP may be effective in reducing the presence of delirium in delirious patients. Further research is needed to determine whether the NL-HELP can improve patient outcomes (e.g. mortality and quality of life) in a larger study.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Caregivers of delirious patients were invited to provide intervention strategies to prevent or abate delirium, including environmental management, orientation communications and identification of alert signs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was prospectively registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (https://www.chictr.org.cn/) Identifier: ChiCTR2300067874.

Preoperative Delirium Risk Screening in Patients Undergoing a Cardiac Surgery: Results from the Prospective Observational FINDERI Study

OBJECTIVE

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication of cardiac surgery that is associated with higher morbidity, longer hospital stay, cognitive decline, and mortality. Preoperative assessments may help to identify patients´ POD risk. However, a standardized screening assessment for POD risk has not been established.

DESIGN

Prospective observational FINd DElirium RIsk factors (FINDERI) study.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients aged ≥50 years undergoing cardiac surgery.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary aim was to analyze the predictive value of the Delirium Risk Screening Questionnaire (DRSQ) prior to cardiac surgery. Secondary aims are to investigate cognitive, frailty, and geriatric assessments, and to use data-driven machine learning (ML) in predicting POD. Predictive properties were assessed using receiver operating characteristics analysis and multivariate approaches (regularized LASSO regression and decision trees).

RESULTS

We analyzed a data set of 504 patients (68.3 ± 8.2 years, 21.4% women) who underwent cardiac surgery. The incidence of POD was 21%. The preoperatively administered DRSQ showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.68 (95% CI 0.62, 0.73), and the predictive OR was 1.25 (95% CI 1.15, 1.35, p <0.001). Using a ML approach, a three-rule decision tree prediction model including DRSQ (score>7), Trail Making Test B (time>118), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (score ≤ 22) was identified. The AUC of the three-rule decision tree on the training set was 0.69 (95% CI 0.63, 0.75) and 0.62 (95% CI 0.51, 0.73) on the validation set.

CONCLUSION

Both the DRSQ and the three-rule decision tree might be helpful in predicting POD risk before cardiac surgery.

Making a Financial Case for the Geriatric Surgery Verification Program

Mini abstract The financial benefits of instituting the American College of Surgeons Geriatric Surgery Verification Program far exceed the costs, with the added benefits of enhanced patient satisfaction and improved staff morale.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict postoperative delirium in older patients after major abdominal surgery: a retrospective case-control study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium is a common complication in older patients, with poor long-term outcomes. This study aimed to investigate risk factors and develop a predictive model for postoperative delirium in older patients after major abdominal surgery.

METHODS

This study retrospectively recruited 7577 patients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent major abdominal surgery between January 2014 and December 2018 in a single hospital in Beijing, China. Patients were divided into a training cohort (n = 5303) and a validation cohort (n = 2224) for univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses and to build a nomogram. Data were collected for 43 perioperative variables, including demographics, medical history, preoperative laboratory results, imaging, and anesthesia information.

RESULTS

Age, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, white blood cell count, glucose, total protein, creatinine, emergency surgery, and anesthesia time were associated with postoperative delirium in multivariate analysis. We developed a nomogram based on the above 8 variables. The nomogram achieved areas under the curve of 0.731 and 0.735 for the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The discriminatory ability of the nomogram was further assessed by dividing the cases into three risk groups (low-risk, nomogram score < 175; medium-risk, nomogram score 175~199; high-risk, nomogram score > 199; P < 0.001). Decision curve analysis revealed that the nomogram provided a good net clinical benefit.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a nomogram that could predict postoperative delirium with high accuracy and stability in older patients after major abdominal surgery.

Effect of hospital elder life program on the incidence of delirium: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials

OBJECTIVE

This meta-analysis aims to investigate the effect of the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) on the incidence of delirium, delirium scores, length of hospital stay, and incidence of falls.

METHODS

Four databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) were searched from inception until January 18, 2024. The search specifically targeted randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Two independent researchers conducted literature screening, quality assessment, and data extraction. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4.1 and Stata 15.1 software.

RESULTS

The final analysis included a total of 9 RCTs with 2583 patients. The findings from the meta-analysis indicated that HELP was found to considerably reduce the incidence of delirium and the length of hospital stay when compared to the control group. Nevertheless, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of delirium scores and fall rates.

CONCLUSION

In this meta-analysis, HELP can effectively reduce the incidence of delirium and lead to a shorter hospital stay.

Using machine-learning to decode postoperative hip mortality Trends: Actionable insights from an extensive clinical dataset

BACKGROUND

Hip fractures are one of the most common injuries experienced by the general population. Despite advances in surgical techniques, postoperative mortality rates remain high. identifying relevant clinical factors associated with mortality is essential to preoperative risk stratification and tailored post-surgical interventions to improve patient outcomes. The purpose of this study aimed to identify preoperative risk factors and develop predictive models for increased hip fracture-related mortality within 30 days post-surgery, using one of the largest patient cohorts to date.

METHODS

Data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, comprising 107,660 hip fracture patients treated with surgical fixation was used. A penalized regression approach, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator was employed to develop two predictive models: one using preoperative factors and the second incorporating both preoperative and postoperative factors.

RESULTS

The analysis identified 68 preoperative factor outcomes associated with 30-day mortality. The combined model revealed 84 relevant factors, showing strong predictive power for determining postoperative mortality, with an AUC of 0.83.

CONCLUSIONS

The study's comprehensive methodology provides risk assessment tools for clinicians to identify high-risk patients and optimize patient-specific care.

Predictive value of the geriatric nutrition risk index for postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing cardiac surgery

AIMS

The aims of the study were to determine the relationship between preoperative geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) and the occurrence of postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients after cardiac surgery and to evaluate the additive value of GNRI for predicting POD.

METHODS

The data were extracted from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care (MIMIC-IV) database. Patients who underwent cardiac surgery and were aged 65 or older were included. The relationship between preoperative GNRI and POD was investigated using logistic regression. We determined the added predictive value of preoperative GNRI for POD by measuring the changes in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calculating the net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI).

RESULTS

A total of 4286 patients were included in the study, and 659 (16.1%) developed POD. Patients with POD had significantly lower GNRI scores than patients without POD (median 111.1 vs. 113.4, p < 0.001). Malnourished patients (GNRI ≤ 98) had a significantly higher risk of POD (odds ratio, 1.83, 90% CI, 1.42-2.34, p < 0.001) than those without malnutrition (GNRI > 98). This correlation remains after adjusting for confounding variables. The addition of GNRI to the multivariable models slightly but not significantly increases the AUCs (all p > 0.05). Incorporating GNRI increases NRIs in some models and IDIs in all models (all p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed a negative association between preoperative GNRI and POD in elderly patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The addition of GNRI to POD prediction models may improve their predictive accuracy. However, these findings were based on a single-center cohort and will need to be validated in future studies involving multiple centers.

Delirium Prevention in Early Rehabilitation During Acute Hospitalization and Implementation of Programs Specifically Tailored to Older Patients with Cognitive Impairment: A Scoping Review with Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

No systematic review on delirium prevention within early, hospital-based rehabilitation on implementation of approaches specifically tailored for patients with cognitive impairment (PwCI), such as Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia, has been published despite the high relevance of specific medical care in this vulnerable population.

OBJECTIVE

To document design and effectiveness of delirium prevention programs by early rehabilitation during acute, hospital-based medical care and implementation of programs specifically tailored to PwCI.

METHODS

In a three-step approach, we first identified published systematic reviews of hospital-based, early rehabilitation interventions for older persons (>65 years) in relevant databases. In a second step, we screened each single trial of included reviews according to predefined inclusion criteria. In a third step, we analyzed studies with focus on delirium prevention.

RESULTS

Among n = 25 studies identified, almost all intervention programs did not specifically target cognitive impairment (CI). Interventions were heterogeneous (modules: n = 2-19); almost all study samples were mixed/unspecified for cognitive status with more affected patients excluded. Only one study exclusively included delirium patients, and only one included CI patients. Results of random effect meta-analysis showed significant effects of generic programs to reduce delirium incidence during hospitalization by 41% (p < 0.001, odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 0.59 [0.49, 0.71] with modest heterogeneity (I2: 30%).

CONCLUSIONS

Study results document a lack of implementation for delirium prevention programs specifically tailored to PwCI by early, hospital-based rehabilitation. Specifying existing rehab concepts or augmenting them by CI-specific modules may help to develop, optimize, and implement innovative delirium prevention in PwCI in acute medical care.

Impact of Preoperative Sleep Disturbances on Postoperative Delirium in Patients with Intracranial Tumors: A Prospective, Observational, Cohort Study

Background

Postoperative delirium (POD) is prevalent in craniotomy patients and is associated with high mortality. Sleep disturbances are receiving increasing attention from clinicians as associated risk factors for postoperative complications. This study aimed to determine the impact of preoperative sleep disturbances on POD in craniotomy patients.

Methods

We recruited 130 patients undergoing elective craniotomy for intracranial tumors between May 1st and December 30th, 2022. Preoperative subjective sleep disturbances were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index on the day of admission. We also measured objective perioperative sleep patterns using a dedicated sleep monitoring device 3 days before and 3 days after the surgery. POD was assessed twice daily using the Confusion Assessment Model for the Intensive Care Unit within the first week after craniotomy.

Results

Preoperative sleep disturbances were diagnosed in 49% of the study patients, and POD was diagnosed in 22% of all the study patients. Sleep disturbances were an independent risk factor for POD (OR: 2.709, 95% CI: 1.020-7.192, P = 0.045). Other risk factors for POD were age (OR: 3.038, 95% CI: 1.195-7.719, P = 0.020) and the duration of urinary catheterization (OR: 1.246, 95% CI: 1.025-1.513, P = 0.027). Perioperative sleep patterns (including sleep latency, deep sleep duration, frequency of awakenings, apnea-hypopnea index, and sleep efficiency) were significantly associated with POD.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that preoperative sleep disturbances predispose patients undergoing craniotomy to POD, also inferred a correlation between perioperative sleep patterns and POD. The targeted screening and intervention specifically for sleep disturbances during the perioperative period are immensely required.

Risk factors, preventive interventions, overlapping symptoms, and clinical measures of delirium in elderly patients

Delirium is an acute reversible neuropsychiatric syndrome caused by multiple factors. It is associated with many adverse clinical outcomes including cognitive impairment, functional decline, prolonged hospitalization, and increased nursing service. The prevalence of delirium was high in department of cardiology, geriatric, and intensive care unit of hospital. With the increase in the aged population, further increases in delirium seem likely. However, it remains poorly recognized in the clinical practice. This article comprehensively discusses the latest research perspectives on the epidemiological data, risk factors, preventive interventions, overlapping symptoms, and clinical measures of delirium, including specific measures to manage delirium in clinical real-world situations. This article helps readers improve their knowledge and understanding of delirium and helps clinicians quickly identify and implement timely therapeutic measures to address various delirium subtypes that occur in the clinical settings to ensure patients are treated as aggressively as possible.

Early Ambulation Shortened the Length of Hospital Stay in ICU Patients after Abdominal Surgery

The optimal time to ambulation remains unclear for intensive care unit (ICU) patients following abdominal surgery. While previous studies have explored various mobilization techniques, a direct comparison between ambulation and other early mobilization methods is lacking. Additionally, the impact of time to ambulation on complications and disuse syndrome prevention requires further investigation. This study aimed to identify the optimal time to ambulation for ICU patients after abdominal surgery and considered its potential influence on complications and disuse syndrome. We examined the relationship between time to ambulation and hospital length of stay (LOS). Patients were categorized into the nondelayed (discharge within the protocol time) and delayed (discharge later than expected) groups. Data regarding preoperative functioning, postoperative complications, and time to discharge were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Of the 274 postsurgical patients managed in the ICU at our hospital between 2018 and 2020, 188 were included. Time to ambulation was a significant prognostic factor for both groups, even after adjusting for operative time and complications. The area under the curve was 0.72, and the cutoff value for time to ambulation was 22 h (sensitivity, 68%; specificity, 77%). A correlation between time to ambulation and complications was observed, with both impacting the hospital LOS (model 1: p < 0.01, r = 0.22; model 2: p < 0.01, r = 0.29). Specific cutoff values for time to ambulation will contribute to better surgical protocols.

Functional intervention following cardiac surgery to prevent postoperative delirium in older patients (FEEL WELL study)

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium is a common complication in patients after cardiac surgery, especially in older patients, and can manifest as a disturbance of attention and consciousness. It can lead to increased postoperative morbidity, prolonged need for care, and mortality. The presented study investigates whether the occurrence of postoperative delirium after cardiac surgery can be prevented by a multisensory stimulation. It was conducted as a prospective, randomized, controlled, non-pharmacological intervention study in the years 2021 and 2022 at the University Hospital Bonn in Germany. A total of 186 patients over 65 years with elective cardiac surgery were enrolled. Patients were randomized either to the intervention or control group. In both groups, postoperative delirium was assessed with the 3-min diagnostic interview for confusion assessment method on the first 5 days after surgery and pain was assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale. Multisensory stimulation was performed 20 min a day for the first three postoperative days in the intervention group.

RESULTS

The incidence of postoperative delirium was 22.6% in the intervention group and 49.5% in the control group (p < 0.001). Duration of postoperative delirium was significantly shorter in the intervention group (p < 0.001). Stay in the intensive care unit was significantly longer in the control group (p = 0.006). In the regression model non-intervention, high pain scores, advanced age, and prolonged mechanical ventilation were associated with postoperative delirium (p = 0.007; p = 0.032; p = 0.006; p = 0.006, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Results of the study imply that a multisensory stimulation done on the first 3 days after planned cardiac surgery can reduce the incidence and duration of postoperative delirium in older patients. Influence of the treatment on the incidence of delirium in other patient groups, the length of stay in the intensive care unit, and patients´ postoperative pain should be confirmed in further clinical studies.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

DRKS, DRKS00026909. Registered 28 October 2021, Retrospectively registered, https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00026909 .

Dynamic Nomogram for Predicting the Risk of Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders in Adults

BACKGROUND

Simple and rapid tools for screening high-risk patients for perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PNDs) are urgently needed to improve patient outcomes. We developed an online tool with machine-learning algorithms using routine variables based on multicenter data.

METHODS

The entire dataset was composed of 49,768 surgical patients from 3 representative academic hospitals in China. Surgical patients older than 45 years, those undergoing general anesthesia, and those without a history of PND were enrolled. When the patient's discharge diagnosis was PND, the patient was in the PND group. Patients in the non-PND group were randomly extracted from the big data platform according to the surgical type, age, and source of data in the PND group with a ratio of 3:1. After data preprocessing and feature selection, general linear model (GLM), artificial neural network (ANN), and naive Bayes (NB) were used for model development and evaluation. Model performance was evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROCAUC), the area under the precision-recall curve (PRAUC), the Brier score, the index of prediction accuracy (IPA), sensitivity, specificity, etc. The model was also externally validated on the multiparameter intelligent monitoring in intensive care (MIMIC) Ⅳ database. Afterward, we developed an online visualization tool to preoperatively predict patients' risk of developing PND based on the models with the best performance.

RESULTS

A total of 1051 patients (242 PND and 809 non-PND) and 2884 patients (6.2% patients with PND) were analyzed on multicenter data (model development, test [internal validation], external validation-1) and MIMIC Ⅳ dataset (external validation-2). The model performance based on GLM was much better than that based on ANN and NB. The best-performing GLM model on validation-1 dataset achieved ROCAUC (0.874; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.833-0.915), PRAUC (0.685; 95% CI, 0.584-0.786), sensitivity (72.6%; 95% CI, 61.4%-81.5%), specificity (84.4%; 95% CI, 79.3%-88.4%), Brier score (0.131), and IPA (44.7%), and of which the ROCAUC (0.761, 95% CI, 0.712-0.809), the PRAUC (0.475, 95% CI, 0.370-0.581), Brier score (0.053), and IPA (76.8%) on validation-2 dataset. Afterward, we developed an online tool (https://pnd-predictive-model-dynnom.shinyapps.io/ DynNomapp/) with 10 routine variables for preoperatively screening high-risk patients.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a simple and rapid online tool to preoperatively screen patients' risk of PND using GLM based on multicenter data, which may help medical staff's decision-making regarding perioperative management strategies to improve patient outcomes.

Effect of Intraoperative Dexmedetomidine Use on Postoperative Delirium in the Elderly After Laryngectomy: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Purpose

To examine whether intraoperative dexmedetomidine reduces postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients who underwent a laryngectomy.

Methods

Patients were randomly assigned to receive dexmedetomidine or a saline placebo infused during surgery. The study period was July 2020 to January 2022. Participants were elderly individuals (≥65 years) who underwent a laryngectomy. Immediately after induction of anesthesia, a 0.5 μg.kg-1 bolus of study solution was administered for 10 min, followed by a maintenance infusion of 0.2 μg.kg-1.hr-1 until the end of surgery. Patients were assessed daily for POD (primary outcome). Plasma inflammatory factors were measured at baseline, on the first postoperative day, and on the third postoperative day.

Results

In total, 304 male patients were randomized; 299 patients [median (interquartile range) age, 69.0 (67.0-73.0) years] completed in-hospital delirium assessments. There was no difference in the incidence of POD between the dexmedetomidine and control groups (21.3% [32 of 150] vs 24.2% [36 of 149], P=0.560). However, dexmedetomidine reduced POD in patients with laryngeal cancer and a higher tumor stage (21.6% vs 38.5%; OR, 0.441; 95% CI, 0.209-0.979; P=0.039). Dexmedetomidine reduced levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) (P=0.0056) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) (P<0.001) on the first and third postoperative days, respectively. More patients had intraoperative hypotension in the dexmedetomidine group (29.3% [44 of 150] vs 17.4% [26 of 149], P=0.015).

Conclusion

Intraoperative dexmedetomidine administration did not prevent POD in patients with laryngeal cancer. Dexmedetomidine reduced serum CRP and IL-6 levels postoperatively but caused a higher occurrence of intraoperative hypotension in elderly patients after a laryngectomy.

A revision of JPOS/JASCC clinical guidelines for delirium in adult cancer patients: a summary of recommendation statements

OBJECTIVE

The Japanese Psycho-Oncology Society and the Japanese Association of Supportive Care in Cancer have recently revised the clinical practice guidelines for delirium in adult cancer patients. This article reports the process of developing the revised guidelines and summarizes the recommendations made.

METHODS

The guidelines were developed in accordance with the Medical Information Network Distribution Service creation procedures. The guideline development group, consisting of multi-disciplinary members, created three new clinical questions: non-pharmacological intervention and antipsychotics for the prevention of delirium and trazodone for the management of delirium. In addition, systematic reviews of nine existing clinical questions have been updated. Two independent reviewers reviewed the proposed articles. The certainty of evidence and the strength of the recommendations were graded using the grading system developed by the Medical Information Network Distribution Service, following the concept of The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. The modified Delphi method was used to validate the recommended statements.

RESULTS

This article provides a compendium of the recommendations along with their rationales, as well as a short summary.

CONCLUSIONS

These revised guidelines will be useful for the prevention, assessment and management of delirium in adult cancer patients in Japan.

Consensus Guidelines for Perioperative Care for Emergency Laparotomy Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society Recommendations Part 2-Emergency Laparotomy: Intra- and Postoperative Care

BACKGROUND

This is Part 2 of the first consensus guidelines for optimal care of patients undergoing emergency laparotomy (EL) using an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) approach. This paper addresses intra- and postoperative aspects of care.

METHODS

Experts in aspects of management of high-risk and emergency general surgical patients were invited to contribute by the International ERAS® Society. PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Medline database searches were performed for ERAS elements and relevant specific topics. Studies on each item were selected with particular attention to randomized clinical trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and large cohort studies and reviewed and graded using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Recommendations were made on the best level of evidence, or extrapolation from studies on elective patients when appropriate. A modified Delphi method was used to validate final recommendations. Some ERAS® components covered in other guideline papers are outlined only briefly, with the bulk of the text focusing on key areas pertaining specifically to EL.

RESULTS

Twenty-three components of intraoperative and postoperative care were defined. Consensus was reached after three rounds of a modified Delphi Process.

CONCLUSIONS

These guidelines are based on best available evidence for an ERAS® approach to patients undergoing EL. These guidelines are not exhaustive but pull together evidence on important components of care for this high-risk patient population. As much of the evidence is extrapolated from elective surgery or emergency general surgery (not specifically laparotomy), many of the components need further evaluation in future studies.

Association of preoperative frailty and postoperative delirium in older cancer patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery: A prospective observational study in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common surgical complication in elderly patients. As frailty is a relatively novel concept, its clinical significance for POD has seldom been examined. This study aimed to investigate the association between frailty and POD in aged cancer patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery in Taiwan.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled 345 consecutive patients aged ≥65 years with newly diagnosed cancer who underwent elective abdominal surgery between 2016 and 2018. Frailty assessment was performed using the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA). POD was assessed daily using the Confusion Assessment Method from postoperative day 1 until discharge. Patients were allocated into fit and frail groups.

RESULTS

POD occurred in 19 (5.5%) of 345 patients. POD incidence was 1.6%, 3.1%, 4.8%, 11.5%, and 10.0% in patients with 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4+ frail conditions, respectively, which presented a positive linear correlation among patients with an increased number of frail conditions and POD incidence. Based on CGA, 159 (46.1%) and 186 (53.9%) patients were allocated to fit and frail groups, respectively. POD incidence was 2.5% and 8.1% for the fit and frail groups, respectively. Frailty status was an independent risk factor for POD occurrence in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

Our study identified frailty as an independent risk factor for POD in aged Taiwanese cancer patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery. Given the high prevalence of frailty among older cancer patients, preoperative assessment is important to identify high risk of POD and to improve the quality of postoperative care.

Clinical effects of a traditional Chinese medicine nursing programme to intervene in gastric pain of the spleen and stomach with Qi deficiency

BACKGROUND

Gastroparesis is a common digestive disorder characterized by delayed gastric emptying, which can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and poor appetite. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for centuries to treat gastrointestinal disorders, including gastroparesis. TCM theory suggests that spleen and stomach qi deficiency syndrome is one of the main pathogenic factors in gastroparesis. Nursing care plays an important role in the treatment of gastroparesis, and TCM nursing interventions have shown promising results in improving patient outcomes. However, there is limited research on the clinical effectiveness of TCM nursing interventions for gastroparesis with spleen stomach deficiency syndrome. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of TCM nursing intervention in the treatment of gastroparesis with spleen stomach deficiency syndrome and to compare it with routine nursing interventions.

AIM

To analyze the clinical effect of traditional Chinese medicine nursing intervention in the treatment of gastric paraplegia with spleen stomach deficiency syndrome.

METHODS

From January 2020 to July 2021, 80 patients with gastroparesis of spleen stomach qi deficiency type diagnosed in our hospital were selected for the study. The 80 patients were randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group, with 40 cases in each group. During the treatment period, the control group received routine nursing interventions, while the experimental group received traditional Chinese medicine nursing procedures. Compare the nursing effects of the two groups and observe the changes in traditional Chinese medicine symptom scores, pain levels, and sleep quality before and after treatment.

RESULTS

After treatment, comparing the treatment effects of the two groups, the total effective rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the TCM symptom score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05). However, after treatment, the TCM syndrome scores, VAS scores, and PSQI scores of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group, with a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In the clinical nursing intervention of patients with mild gastroparesis due to spleen and stomach qi deficiency, the traditional Chinese medicine nursing plan has good clinical application value and nursing effect, and has a good effect on improving patients' pain and sleep quality.

Predicting Colorectal Surgery Readmission Risk: a Surgery-Specific Predictive Model

Most current predictive models for risk of readmission were primarily designed from non-surgical patients and often utilize administrative data alone. Models built upon comprehensive data sources specific to colorectal surgery may be key to implementing interventions aimed at reducing readmissions. This study aimed to develop a predictive model for risk of 30-day readmission specific to colorectal surgery patients including administrative, clinical, laboratory, and socioeconomic status (SES) data. Patients admitted to the colorectal surgery service who underwent surgery and were discharged from an academic tertiary hospital between 2017 and 2019 were included. A total of 1549 patients met eligibility criteria for this retrospective split-sample cohort study. The 30-day readmission rate of the cohort was 19.62%. A multivariable logistic regression was developed (C=0.70, 95% CI 0.61-0.73), which outperformed two internationally used readmission risk prediction indices (C=0.58, 95% CI 0.52-0.65) and (C=0.60, 95% CI 0.53-0.66). Tailored surgery-specific readmission models with comprehensive data sources outperform the most used readmission indices in predicting 30-day readmission in colorectal surgery patients. Model performance is improved by using more comprehensive datasets that include administrative and socioeconomic details about a patient, as well as clinical information used for decision-making around the time of discharge.

Prevalence of postoperative pain after hospital discharge: systematic review and meta-analysis

Assessment and management of postoperative pain after hospital discharge is very challenging. We conducted a systematic review to synthesize available evidence on the prevalence of moderate-to-severe postoperative pain within the first 1 to 14 days after hospital discharge. The previously published protocol for this review was registered in PROSPERO. MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched until November 2020. We included observational postsurgical pain studies in the posthospital discharge setting. The primary outcome for the review was the proportion of study participants with moderate-to-severe postoperative pain (eg, pain score of 4 or more on a 10-point Numerical Rating Scale) within the first 1 to 14 days after hospital discharge. This review included 27 eligible studies involving a total of 22,108 participants having undergone a wide variety of surgical procedures. The 27 studies included ambulatory surgeries (n = 19), inpatient surgeries (n = 1), both ambulatory and inpatient surgeries (n = 4), or was not specified (n = 3). Meta-analyses of combinable studies provided estimates of pooled prevalence rates of moderate-to-severe postoperative pain ranging from 31% 1 day after discharge to 58% 1 to 2 weeks after discharge. These findings suggest that moderate-to-severe postoperative pain is a common occurrence after hospital discharge and highlight the importance of future efforts to more effectively evaluate, prevent, and treat postsurgical pain in patients discharged from the hospital.

Association of sleep and anaesthesia EEG biomarkers with preoperative MoCA score: A pilot study

INTRODUCTION

Preoperative cognitive impairments increase the risk of postoperative complications. The electroencephalogram (EEG) could provide information on cognitive vulnerability. The feasibility and clinical relevance of sleep EEG (EEG_sleep ) compared to intraoperative EEG (EEG_intraop ) in cognitive risk stratification remains to be explored. We investigated similarities between EEG_sleep and EEG_intraop vis-a-vis preoperative cognitive impairments.

METHODS

Pilot study including 27 patients (63 year old [53.5, 70.0]) to whom Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) and EEG_sleep were administered 1 day before a propofol-based general anaesthesia, in addition to EEG_intraop acquisition from depth-of-anaesthesia monitors. Sleep spindles on EEG_sleep and intraoperative alpha-band power on EEG_intraop were particularly explored.

RESULTS

In total, 11 (41%) patients had a MoCA <25 points. These patients had a significantly lower sleep spindle power on EEG_sleep (25 vs. 40 μv² /Hz, p = .035) and had a weaker intraoperative alpha-band power on EEG_intraop (85 vs. 150 μv² /Hz, p = .001) compared to patients with normal MoCA. Correlation between sleep spindle and intraoperative alpha-band power was positive and significant (r = 0.544, p = .003).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative cognitive impairment appears to be detectable by both EEG_sleep and EEG_intraop . Preoperative sleep EEG to assess perioperative cognitive risk is feasible but more data are needed to demonstrate its benefit compared to intraoperative EEG.

A systematic review and meta-analysis: Assessment of hospital walking programs among older patients

AIM

The aim of this study is to assess effect of hospital walking programs on outcomes for older inpatients and to characterize hospital walking dose reported across studies.

DESIGN

A systematic review and meta-analysis examining impact of hospital walking and/or reported walking dose among medical-surgical inpatients. For inclusion, studies were observational or experimental, published in English, enrolled inpatients aged ≥ 65 yrs hospitalized for medical or surgical reasons.

METHODS

Searches of PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, NICHSR, OneSearch, ClinicalTrials.gov, and PsycINFO were completed in December 2020. Two reviewers screened sources, extracted data, and performed quality bias appraisal.

RESULTS

Hospital walking dose was reported in 6 studies and commonly as steps/24 hr. Length of stay (LOS) was a common outcome reported. Difference in combined mean LOS between walking and control groups was -5.89 days. Heterogeneity across studies was considerable (I2  = 96%) suggesting poor precision of estimates. Additional, high-quality trials examining hospital walking and patient outcomes of older patients is needed.

The Modified and Extended Hospital Elder Life Program: A remote model of care to expand delirium prevention

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a common complication of hospitalization and is associated with poor outcomes. Multicomponent delirium prevention strategies such as the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP) have proven effective but rely on face-to-face intervention protocols and volunteer staff, which was not possible due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. We developed the Modified and Extended Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP-ME), an innovative adaptation of HELP for remote and/or physically distanced applications.

METHODS

HELP-ME protocols were adapted from well-established multicomponent delirium prevention strategies and were implemented at four expert HELP sites. Each site contributed to the protocol modifications and compilation of a HELP-ME Operations Manual with standardized protocols and training instructions during three expert panel working groups. Implementation was overseen and monitored during seven learning sessions plus four coaching sessions from January 8, 2021, through September 24, 2021. Feasibility of implementing HELP-ME was measured by protocol adherence rates. Focus groups were conducted to evaluate the acceptability, provide feedback, and identify facilitators and barriers to implementation.

RESULTS

A total of 106 patients were enrolled across four sites, and data were collected for 214 patient-days. Overall adherence was 82% (1473 completed protocols/1798 patient-days), achieving our feasibility target of >75% overall adherence. Individual adherence rates ranged from 55% to 96% across sites for the individual protocols. Protocols with high adherence rates included the nursing delirium protocol (96%), nursing medication review (96%), vision (89%), hearing (87%), and orientation (88%), whereas lower adherence occurred with fluid repletion (64%) and range-of-motion exercises (55%). Focus group feedback was generally positive for acceptability, with recommendations that an optimal approach would be hybrid, balancing in-person and remote interventions for potency and long-term sustainability.

CONCLUSIONS

HELP-ME was fully implemented at four HELP sites, demonstrating feasibility and acceptability. Testing hybrid approaches and evaluating effectiveness is recommended for future work.

Risk factors and effect of postoperative delirium on adverse surgical outcomes in older adults after elective abdominal cancer surgery in Taiwan

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication in older adults, with unknown epidemiology and effects on surgical outcomes in Asian geriatric cancer patients. This study evaluated incidence, risk factors, and association between adverse surgical outcomes and POD after intra-abdominal cancer surgery in Taiwan.

METHODS

Overall, 345 patients aged ≥65 years who underwent elective abdominal cancer surgery at a medical center in Taiwan were prospectively enrolled. Delirium was assessed daily using the Confusion Assessment Method. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses investigated risk factors for POD occurrence and estimated the association with adverse surgical outcomes.

RESULTS

POD occurred in 19 (5.5%) of the 345 patients. Age ≥73 years, Charlson comorbidity index ≥3, and operative time >428 min were independent predictors for POD occurrence. Patients presenting with one, two, and three risk factors had 4.1-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4-35.8, p = 0.20), 17.4-fold (95% CI, 2.2-138, p = 0.007), and 30.8-fold likelihood (95% CI, 2.9-321, p = 0.004) for POD occurrence, respectively. Patients with POD had a higher probability of prolonged hospital stay (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.8; 95% CI, 1.0-8.1; p = 0.037), intensive care stay (adjusted OR: 3.9; 95% CI, 1.5-10.5; p = 0.008), 30-day readmission (adjusted OR 3.1; 95% CI, 1.1-9.7; p = 0.039), and 90-day postoperative death (adjusted OR: 4.2; 95% CI, 1.0-17.7; p = 0.041).

CONCLUSION

POD occurrence was significantly associated with adverse surgical outcomes in geriatric patients undergoing elective abdominal cancer surgery, highlighting the importance of early POD identification in geriatric patients to improve postoperative care quality.

Delirium Prevention and Management in Frail Surgical Patients

Delirium, an acute, fluctuating impairment in cognition and awareness, is one of the most common causes of postoperative brain dysfunction. It is associated with increased hospital length of stay, health care costs, and mortality. There is no FDA-approved treatment of delirium, and management relies on symptomatic control. Several preventative techniques have been proposed, including the choice of anesthetic agent, preoperative testing, and intraoperative monitoring. Frailty, a state of increased vulnerability to adverse events, is an independent and potentially modifiable risk factor for the development of delirium. Diligent preoperative screening techniques and implementation of prevention strategies could help improve outcomes in high-risk patients.

Web-Based Delirium Prevention Application for Long-Term Care Facilities

OBJECTIVE

A web-based application was developed for medical staff to easily access and use a comprehensive delirium prevention management program-comprising risk prediction, assessment, and intervention-even in long-term care facilities with insufficient systems.

DESIGN

A randomized control trial.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A long-term care facility with 250 beds in Korea. Participants were 130 facility residents aged 18 or older who understood the purpose of this study and for whom a legal representative provided participation consent. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups (n = 65 per group).

METHODS

The participants' risk of delirium episodes was predicted using the web-based application Web_DeliPREVENT_4LCF. Delirium was assessed using the built-in Short Confusion Assessment Method (S-CAM). Among the intervention group, nonpharmacological, multicomponent delirium prevention interventions guided by the application were applied to participants who were predicted to be at risk for delirium or tested positive for delirium. The intervention was provided for 30 days.

RESULTS

The intervention group had a 0.30 times lower incidence of delirium [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12-0.79; P = .015] and 0.08 times lower 1-month hospitalization mortality (95% CI 0.01-0.79; P = .031) than the control group. There were no differences between the 2 groups in delirium severity, mortality, and 3-month hospitalization mortality, long-term care facility discharge, and length of stay.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The Web_DeliPREVENT_4LCF was effective in reducing delirium episodes and 1-month in-hospital mortality. Therefore, even in Korean long-term care facilities, which lack manpower and electronic medical record systems compared with general hospitals, the health care professional can easily access and use the app for early detection and preventive intervention for residents' delirium.

REGISTRATION

KCT0005804.

Activating Relatives to Get Involved in Care After Surgery: Protocol for a Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative complications and readmissions to hospital are factors known to negatively influence the short- and long-term quality of life of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Active family involvement in activities, such as fundamental care activities, has the potential to improve the quality of health care. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the relationship between active family involvement and outcomes in patients with gastrointestinal cancer after surgery.

OBJECTIVE

This protocol aims to evaluate the effect of a family involvement program (FIP) on unplanned readmissions of adult patients undergoing surgery for malignant gastrointestinal tumors. Furthermore, the study aims to evaluate the effect of the FIP on family caregiver (FC) burden and their well-being and the fidelity of the FIP.

METHODS

This cohort study will be conducted in 2 academic hospitals in the Netherlands. The FIP will be offered to adult patients and their FCs. Patients are scheduled for oncological gastrointestinal surgery and have an expected hospital stay of at least 5 days after surgery. FCs must be willing to participate in fundamental care activities during hospitalization and after discharge. Consenting patients and their families will choose to either participate in the FIP or be included in the usual care group. According to the power calculation, we will recruit 150 patients and families in the FIP group and 150 in the usual care group. The intervention group will receive the FIP that consists of information, shared goal setting, task-oriented training, participation in fundamental care, presence of FCs during ward rounds, and rooming-in for at least 8 hours a day. Patients in the comparison group will receive usual postoperative care. The primary outcome measure is the number of unplanned readmissions up to 30 days after surgery. Several secondary outcomes will be collected, that is, total number of complications (sensitive to fundamental care activities) at 30 and 90 days after surgery, emergency department visits, intensive care unit admissions up to 30 and 90 days after surgery, hospital length of stay, patients' quality of life, and the amount of home care needed after discharge. FC outcomes are caregiver burden and well-being up to 90 days after participating in the FIP. To evaluate fidelity, we will check whether the FIP is executed as intended. Univariable regression and multivariable regression analyses will be conducted.

RESULTS

The first participant was enrolled in April 2019. The follow-up period of the last participant ended in May 2022. The study was funded by an unrestricted grant of the University hospital in 2018. We aim to publish the results in 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

This study will provide evidence on outcomes from a FIP and will provide health care professionals practical tools for family involvement in the oncological surgical care setting.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/38028.

Standardized Nursing Diagnoses in a Surgical Hospital Setting: A Retrospective Study Based on Electronic Health Data

Introduction

In electronic health records (EHRs), standardized nursing terminologies (SNTs), such as nursing diagnoses (NDs), are needed to demonstrate the impact of nursing care on patient outcomes. Unfortunately, the use of NDs is not common in clinical practice, especially in surgical settings, and is rarely included in EHRs.

Objectives

The aim of the study was to describe the prevalence and trend of NDs in a hospital surgical setting by also analyzing the relationship between NDs and hospital outcomes.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted. All adult inpatients consecutively admitted to one of the 15 surgical inpatient units of an Italian university hospital across 1 year were included. Data, including the Professional Assessment Instrument and the Hospital Discharge Register, were collected retrospectively from the hospital's EHRs.

Results

The sample included 5,027 surgical inpatients. There was a mean of 6.3 ± 4.3 NDs per patient. The average distribution of NDs showed a stable trend throughout the year. The most representative NANDA-I ND domain was safety/protection. The total number of NDs on admission was significantly higher for patient whose length of stay was longer. A statistically significant correlation was observed between the number of NDs on admission and the number of intra-hospital patient transfers. Additionally, the mean number of NDs on admission was higher for patients who were later transferred to an intensive care unit compared to those who were not transferred.

Conclusion

NDs represent the key to understanding the contribution of nurses in the surgical setting. NDs collected upon admission can represent a prognostic factor related to the hospital's key outcomes.

Low Skeletal Muscle Mass and the Incidence of Delirium in Hospitalized Older Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

Background

Both low skeletal muscle mass and delirium are prevalent in older hospitalized patients, while their associations are unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to investigate the associations between low skeletal muscle mass and the incidence of delirium in hospitalized patients.

Methods

The PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were searched for relevant studies published before May 2022, and we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis according to the PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. The summary odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated, and subgroup analyses were also conducted according to the age and major surgeries.

Results

Finally, nine studies with 3 828 patients were included. The pooled result showed no significant association between low skeletal muscle mass and the incidence of delirium (OR 1.69, 95% CI 0.85 to 2.52). However, sensitivity analysis suggested that one study caused a significant alteration of the summary result, and the meta-analysis of the remaining 8 studies showed that low skeletal muscle mass was significantly associated with an 88% increased incidence of delirium (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.43 to 2.33). Furthermore, subgroup analyses indicated that low skeletal muscle mass was associated with a higher incidence of delirium in patients ≥75 years old or undergoing major surgeries instead of those <75 years old or without surgeries, respectively.

Conclusions

Hospitalized patients with low skeletal muscle mass might have higher incidence of delirium, particularly in those of older age and undergoing major surgeries. Therefore, great attention should be paid to these patients.

Targeted nutritional intervention with enhanced recovery after surgery for carotid endarterectomy: A prospective clinical trial

Ischemic stroke is the most common cerebrovascular disease, and vascular obstruction is an important cause of this disease. As the main method for the management of carotid artery stenosis, carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is an effective and preventive treatment measure in ischemic cerebrovascular disease. This study aims to propose the application of a new enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) nutritional support regimen in CEA, which can significantly improve the perioperative nutritional status of patients. A total of 74 patients who underwent CEA were included and randomly divided into two groups: 39 patients received nutritional therapy with the ERAS protocol (ERAS group) and 35 patients received routine perioperative nutritional support (control group). Our results showed that the levels of major clinical and biochemical parameters (albumin, hemoglobin, creatinine, calcium and magnesium levels, etc.) in the ERAS group were significantly higher than those in the control group after surgery (p < 0.05). Additionally, patients in the ERAS group had dramatically shorter postoperative length of stay and reflected higher mean satisfaction at discharge (p < 0.001). Moreover, no statistically significant differences were observed in postoperative complication rates and Mini-mental State Examination scores at discharge. The emergence of this neurosurgical ERAS nutritional support program can effectively intervene in perioperative nutritional status, and notably reduce postoperative hospital stays.

A High Postoperative Atropinic Burden is Associated with Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients with Hip Fracture: Results of the Prospective, Observational, ATROPAGE Trial

Background

Postoperative delirium frequently occurs in the elderly after hip fracture surgery and is associated with poor outcomes. Our aim was to identify a correlation between the atropinic burden (AB) due to drugs with clinical antimuscarinic effect and the occurrence of postoperative delirium.

Methods

We carried out a prospective, monocentric, observational study including 67 patients over 65 years of age who underwent hip fracture surgery. The addition of the anticholinergic weight of each drug was calculated at different time points to distinguish the prehospital, intra- and postoperative part of the AB. A multivariate analysis was carried out to identify the explanatory variables associated with postoperative delirium.

Results

Patients were 78 [71-86] years old. The time from admission to surgery was 12 [12-24] hours. The ADL and CIRS scores were 6 [5.5-6] and 6 [4-9], respectively. The total (prehospital plus intraoperative plus postoperative) AB was 5 [3-9]. The incidence of postoperative delirium was 54% (36/67). The demographic characteristics were comparable between delirium and no delirium groups. Univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences between no delirium and delirium groups concerning the number of prehospital atropinic drugs, prehospital AB, the number of postoperative atropinic drugs, postoperative AB, in-hospital AB and the MMSE calculated on postoperative day 5. Using multivariate analysis, postoperative AB, but not pre- and in-hospital ABs, was associated with postoperative delirium with an odds ratio of 1.84 (95% CI: 1.25-2.72; p = 0.002). A postoperative AB > 2 was associated with a postoperative delirium with an area under ROC curve of 0.73 (95% CI: 0.61-0.83; p = 0.0001).

Conclusion

Contrary to a prior exposure to atropinic drugs, a postoperative atropinic burden >2 was associated with postoperative delirium in elderly patients with hip fracture. Postoperative administration of (new) antimuscarinic drugs is a precipitating factor of delirium that could be avoided.

Impact of early mobilization on the duration of delirium in elderly hospitalized patients: A retrospective cohort pilot study

Development of delirium during hospitalization impairs the activities of daily living in elderly hospitalized patients. In clinical practice, early mobilization from bed is recommended to reduce delirium incidence and hospitalization stay. However, the effects of early mobilization on elderly inpatients with delirium have not been established yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between early mobilization and the duration of delirium in elderly inpatients with delirium. This retrospective cohort pilot study examined 45 participants (23 males, 22 females; mean age: 84.5 ± 6.6 years), who developed delirium during hospitalization. Of the participants, 28 were surgically treated and 17 were non-surgically treated. We classified early or delayed mobilization based on the median number of days until the start of mobilization and compared after propensity score matching to adjust for baseline characteristics. Additionally, we examined the correlation between the number of days until the start of mobilization and the duration of delirium. The duration of delirium was significantly shorter in the early mobilization group, particularly in terms of sitting on the bed and wheelchair use than that in the delayed mobilization group {median: 4.0 [interquartile range (IQR): 2.0-6.0] vs 8.0 [IQR: 7.0-14.5] days, P = .013; median: 3.0 [IQR: 2.0-5.5] vs 11.0 [IQR: 7.5-14.5] days, P = .004, respectively}. Moreover, the duration of delirium significantly positively moderate correlated with the time until the start of sitting on the bed and wheelchair use (Spearman r = 0.527; P = .012, Spearman r = 0.630; P = .002, respectively). The results of this study suggest that early mobilization from sitting on the bed or wheelchair use after hospitalization or surgery may shorten the duration of delirium. Because the sample size of this pilot study is small, careful interpretation is needed, and further research is warranted.

Identifying barriers and facilitators to routine preoperative frailty assessment: a qualitative interview study

PURPOSE

Preoperative frailty assessment is recommended by multiple practice guidelines and may improve outcomes, but it is not routinely performed. The barriers and facilitators of routine preoperative frailty assessment have not been formally assessed. Our objective was to perform a theory-guided evaluation of barriers and facilitators to preoperative frailty assessment.

METHODS

This was a research ethics board-approved qualitative study involving physicians who perform preoperative assessment (consultant and resident anesthesiologists and consultant surgeons). Semistructured interviews were conducted by a trained research assistant informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework to identify barriers and facilitators to frailty assessment. Interview transcripts were independently coded by two research assistants to identify specific beliefs relevant to each theoretical domain.

RESULTS

We interviewed 28 clinicians (nine consultant anesthesiologists, nine consultant surgeons, and ten anesthesiology residents). Six domains (Knowledge [100%], Social Influences [96%], Social Professional Role and Identity [96%], Beliefs about Capabilities [93%], Goals [93%], and Intentions [93%]) were identified by > 90% of respondents. The most common barriers identified were prioritization of other aspects of assessment (e.g., cardio/respiratory) and a lack of awareness of evidence and guidelines supporting frailty assessment. The most common facilitators were a high degree of familiarity with frailty, recognition of the importance of frailty assessment, and strong intentions to perform frailty assessment.

CONCLUSION

Barriers and facilitators to preoperative frailty assessment are multidimensional, but generally consistent across different types of perioperative physicians. Knowledge of barriers and facilitators can guide development of evidence-based strategies to increase frailty assessment.

Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with delirium: analysis of a nationwide Japanese medical database

OBJECTIVES

Delirium commonly occurs during hospitalisation and is associated with increased mortality, especially in elderly patients. This study aimed to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with delirium in the Japanese real-world clinical setting using a nationwide database comprising claims and discharge abstract data.

DESIGN

This was an observational, cross-sectional, retrospective study in hospitalised patients with an incident delirium identified by a diagnosis based on International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision codes or initiating antipsychotics recommended for delirium treatment in Japan during their hospitalisation.

SETTING

Patients from the Medical Data Vision database including more than 400 acute care hospitals in Japan were evaluated from admission to discharge.

PARTICIPANTS

Of the 32 910 227 patients who were included in the database between April 2012 and September 2020, a total of 145 219 patients met the criteria for delirium.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Demographic and baseline characteristics, comorbidities, clinical profiles and pharmacological treatments were evaluated in patients with delirium.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) patient age was 76.5 (13.8) years. More than half of the patients (n=82 159; 56.6%) were male. The most frequent comorbidities were circulatory system diseases, observed in 81 954 (56.4%) patients. Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) with risk of delirium including benzodiazepines and opioids were prescribed to 76 798 (52.9%) patients. Approximately three-fourths of these patients (56 949; 74.2%) were prescribed ≥4 PIMs. The most prescribed treatment for delirium was injectable haloperidol (n=82 490; 56.8%). Mean (SD) length of hospitalisation was 16.0 (12.1) days.

CONCLUSIONS

The study results provide comprehensive details of the clinical characteristics of patients with delirium and treatment patterns with antipsychotics in the Japanese acute care setting. In this patient population, the prescription rate of injectable haloperidol and PIMs was high, suggesting the need for improved understanding among healthcare providers about the appropriate management of delirium, which may benefit patients.

Delirium in elderly postoperative patients: A prospective cohort study

AIM

To describe the incidence, time in days and risk factors for postoperative delirium in elderly patients.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

METHODS

Patients over 65 years were daily screened with the 4A's Test and the Delirium Observation Screening Scale for postoperative delirium. A psychiatrist assessed according to the DSM-V. We performed descriptive and logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

From 202 patients, 7.5% (N = 15) had a diagnosed postoperative delirium, whereby 73.3% (N = 11) developed the delirium during the first 48 hr after surgery. The median duration was 1 day. Patients over 80 years suffering from heart failure with surgical drains, bladder catheter, central venous catheter had higher odds for developing a postoperative delirium. The incidence of postoperative delirium in our sample was lower compared with other surgical and ortho-geriatric populations. Despite age, several modifiable postoperative factors were associated with the occurrence of postoperative delirium.