Changes in cognitive function from presurgery to 4 months postsurgery in individuals undergoing dysvascular amputation

Association Between Mental Health Burden, Clinical Presentation, and Outcomes in Individuals With Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association

Along with the rising burden of peripheral artery disease (PAD), mental health concerns are increasingly being recognized as a comorbidity to address in the chronic disease management of symptomatic PAD. Apart from a high prevalence of comorbid mental health conditions, the role of pain and changing health behaviors and the broader impacts of illness and adaptation to living with PAD require specialized behavioral health expertise. This scientific statement builds a case that this expertise should be integrated within the multidisciplinary PAD team. Furthermore, areas such as cognitive dysfunction and palliative care are highlighted as needing psychological interventions. Although much of the evidence of the efficacy of psychological and psychotropic interventions has been extrapolated from other cardiovascular populations, evidence for the role of psychological interventions for behavior change, for example, uptake of exercise regimens, is increasingly being accrued within PAD. Areas for behavioral health needs and interactions with PAD treatment are discussed, including the use of opioids, depression management, anxiety and stress reduction interventions, the use of benzodiazepines and antidepressants, smoking cessation, rehabilitation trajectories after amputation, and the role of cognitive decline for PAD treatment and outcomes. A case summary highlights the stigma around mental health and vascular disease and the fragmentation of care. This scientific statement provides remarks for building a road map for integrated behavioral PAD care and potential solutions to overcome these barriers. Instrumental to reaching these changes are interprofessional advocacy efforts and initiatives that help break down the stigma around mental health and promote evidence-based collaborative, nonhierarchical, and multidisciplinary PAD care.

A Systematic Review of Cognitive Functioning and its Relationship to Outcomes Following Amputation Secondary to Vascular Etiology

Amputation is a major life event, impacting on all aspects of daily living, and has the goal of achieving maximal patient mobility and independence. The level of cognitive function of those patients who are assigned a prosthesis is an important consideration in the rehabilitation process. Therefore we set out to understand the relationship between cognitive functioning and functional and/or health outcomes following amputation secondary to a vascular condition. This systematic review searched five databases: PsycINFO, Cumulative index to nursing and allied health literature (CINAHL), Scopus, MEDLINE, and Web of Science for peer-reviewed English language articles that met the inclusion criteria. Two authors independently assessed suitability for inclusion, determined biases (Cochrane risk of bias assessment) and extracted data. Results are presented as associations determined on the balance of probabilities. A total of 14 studies were included, with a total of 6891 participants across six domains. Evidence of an association between cognitive function and prosthetic use, mobility and activities of daily living (ADLs) were found. Evidence revealed 83.3% association for cognition and mobility, 66.7% for cognition and ADL, and 62.5% for cognition and prosthetic use. The evidence was indeterminate for an association between cognitive function and living/discharge destination. There was insufficient weight of evidence to determine an association between cognitive function and general health or social participation. The associations found between cognitive function and prosthetic use, mobility and ADL highlight the need for cognitive assessment to form part of the postoperative pathway for vascular amputees.

Cognitive screening in persons with an amputation: A retrospective medical record audit

OBJECTIVE

To determine the rate of cognitive screening undertaken with patients undergoing amputation and to determine the demographics of the sample.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective medical record audit.

METHODS

The medical records of a convenience sample of persons who had undergone amputation, upper and lower limb, from one local health district were reviewed. The sample date range was between January 1st, 2017, and December 31st, 2018. The incidence and type of cognitive screening were also recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the results.

RESULTS

A total of 178 episodes of amputation care were identified during retrospective medical record auditing (mean age, 69.7 years). Thirty nine of the 178 (21.9%) episodes of care had a cognitive screening measure completed during that inpatient admission (24.2% vascular etiology and 12% nonvascular etiology). All cognitive screens were completed in persons with lower-limb amputations and were completed postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

Cognitive screening is not a routine part of the health care journey for patients with an amputation in this health care district.

Physical and psychological functioning of patients with chronic limb ischemia during a 1-year period after endovascular revascularization

OBJECTIVE

Symptoms of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and patients' physical and psychological status are related in a vicious circle. The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between improvement in parameters of PAD after endovascular procedures and changes in patients' physical and psychological status.

METHODS

We studied 140 consecutive PAD patients: 50 patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), 50 patients with intermittent claudication (IC) undergoing an endovascular procedure, and 40 IC patients who were not qualified for leg revascularization. All participating patients were assessed at the beginning of the study and at 3 and 12 months of follow-up; scores taken included: ankle-brachial index, 6-minute walking test distance, Barthel index, activities of daily living (ADL) index, instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) index, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

RESULTS

After 12 months of follow-up, an improvement in PAD-related symptoms following leg revascularization had been maintained in 56% of the patients with CLTI and in 68% of those with IC. Twelve months after endovascular leg revascularization, the scores in respect of ADL, IADL, and MMSE had increased, and scores for HADS had decreased in both CLTI and IC patients. A higher baseline score in the IADL index was associated with a reduction in the 1-year cardiovascular event risk (OR; 95% CI: 0.70; 0.54-0.91; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

In PAD patients, endovascular procedures not only improved PAD-related symptoms, but also ameliorated patients' physical state, improved cognitive function, and reduced depression.

Beneficial Effect of Exercise on Cognitive Function during Peripheral Arterial Disease: Potential Involvement of Myokines and Microglial Anti-Inflammatory Phenotype Enhancement

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD), leading to intermittent claudication, critical ischemia with rest pain, and/or tissue damage, is a public health issue associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Little is known about the link between PAD, cognitive function, and whether exercise might reduce cognitive dysfunction in PAD patients, as previously observed concerning both quality of life and prognosis. This review highlights the fact that patients suffering from PAD often demonstrate cognitive dysfunction characterized by reduced performance in nonverbal reasoning, reduced verbal fluency, and decreased information processing speed and a greater risk for progression toward dementia. Further, the data presented support that physical exercise, likely through myokine secretion and microglial anti-inflammatory phenotype enhancement, might participate in the cognition protection in common clinical settings.

Comprehensive Neuropsychological Assessment of Cognitive Functioning of Adults With Lower Limb Amputation in Rehabilitation

OBJECTIVE

To establish a comprehensive profile of cognitive functioning in people engaged in lower limb amputation (LLA) rehabilitation.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study as part of a longitudinal prospective cohort.

SETTING

A national tertiary rehabilitation hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Adult volunteer participants (N=87) referred for comprehensive rehabilitation for major LLA were sampled from 207 consecutive admissions. Participants with both vascular (n=69) and nonvascular (n=18) LLA etiologies were included.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Demographic and health information and a battery of standardized neuropsychological assessments.

RESULTS

Compared to normative data, impairment was evident in overall cognitive functioning (P≤.003). Impairment was also evident in particular areas, including reasoning, psychomotor function, information processing, attention, memory, language/naming, visuospatial functions, and executive functions (all P≤.003 Holm-corrected). There were also higher frequencies of impaired functions across most aspects of functioning in this group compared with expected frequencies in normative data (P≤.003 Holm-corrected). There were no significant differences in cognitive functioning between participants of vascular and nonvascular LLA etiology.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings support the need for cognitive screening at rehabilitation admission regardless of etiology. Administration of comprehensive neuropsychological assessment with a battery sensitive to vascular cognitive impairment is recommended in some cases to generate an accurate and precise understanding of relative strengths and weaknesses in cognitive functioning. Cognitive functioning is a potential intervention point for improvement of rehabilitation outcomes for those with LLA, and further research is warranted in this area.

MoCA Domain Score Analysis and Relation to Mobility Outcomes in Dysvascular Lower Extremity Amputees

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between cognitive functioning, as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and functional outcomes upon discharge from prosthetic rehabilitation.

DESIGN

Retrospective chart audit.

SETTING

Rehabilitation hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Consecutive admissions (N=130; mean age, 66.21±11.19y) with lower extremity amputation of dysvascular etiology.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Cognitive status was assessed using the MoCA. The L Test of Functional Mobility (L Test) and the 2-minute walk test were used to estimate functional mobility and walking endurance.

RESULTS

In multivariable linear regression analysis, those who scored 2 on the visuospatial/executive functioning (out of 5) and language (out of 3) domains had statistically shorter distances walked on the 2-minute walk test than did those who scored the highest on these MoCA domains. These values were not clinically relevant. Time to complete the L Test for those who scored the lowest on the MoCA domains of visuospatial/executive functioning and delayed recall and 3 on the attention domain (out of 6) was significantly longer than that for those who scored the highest.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with lower extremity amputation have an increased risk of cognitive impairment related to amputation etiology. Lower levels of functioning on MoCA domains of visuospatial/executive functioning, delayed recall, and attention were shown to negatively relate to the rehabilitation outcome of functional mobility, as measured by the L Test.

Relationship between cognition and functional outcomes after dysvascular lower extremity amputation: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine associations between a cognitive screen and four neuropsychologic tests administered at both 6 wks and 4 mos after amputation and five functional outcomes measured 12 mos after lower extremity amputation.

DESIGN

This study includes a prospective cohort from four medical centers. Participants were primarily male Veterans experiencing their first lower extremity amputation as a result of complications of diabetes mellitus or peripheral arterial disease. Of those eligible, 87 (64%) enrolled; 75 (86%) were retained at 12 mos. Measures included demographic/health information, four neuropsychologic measures, the Locomotor Capability Index-5, the Gronigen Activity Restriction Scale, prosthetic use, community participation, and social integration.

RESULTS

Better performance on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire at 4 mos was associated with greater 12-mo mobility and social integration. Better attention and working memory abilities 6 wks after amputation were associated with increased 12-mo prosthetic wear; and at 4 mos after amputation, with greater 12-mo mobility. Better verbal memory at 6 wks was associated with greater 12-mo social integration and community participation as well as increased prosthetic wear.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the potential value in including a brief, formal cognitive assessment in addition to a general mental status screen. Specific domains of cognitive function are differentially associated with functional outcomes and may inform amputation rehabilitation decisions.