Postoperative delirium: etiology and management

The effect of multimodal care based on Peplau's interpersonal relationship theory on postoperative recovery in lung cancer surgery: a retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer remains a major global health concern due to its high incidence and mortality rates. With advancements in medical treatments, an increasing number of early-stage lung cancer cases are being detected, making surgical treatment the primary option for such cases. However, this presents challenges to the physical and mental recovery of patients. Peplau known as the "mother of psychiatric associations" has formulated a theory of interpersonal relationships in nursing. Through effective communication between nurses and patients over four periods, she has established a good therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of perioperative multimodal nursing based on Peplau's interpersonal relationship theory on the rehabilitation of patients with surgical lung cancer.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 106 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy at our department between June 2021 and April 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups according to the different nursing intervention techniques. The Peplau's group comprised 53 patients who received targeted nursing interventions, and the control group comprised 53 patients who received conventional nursing care. We observed the patients' illness uncertainty, quality of life, and clinical symptoms in both groups.

RESULTS

Patients in the Peplau's group had significantly lower illness uncertainty scores and a significantly higher quality of recovery than those in the control group. However, there were no significant differences in length of post-anesthesia care unit stay, complication rates, and visual analog scores between both groups.

CONCLUSION

The multimodal perioperative nursing based on Peplau's interpersonal relationship theory not only reduces the illness uncertainty of patients with lung cancer surgery and improves their QoR but also expands the application of this theory in clinical practice, guiding perioperative nursing of patients with lung cancer.

IMPLICATIONS

These findings provide practical information for standardized care in a hectic anesthetic care setting.

IMPACT

The assessed anesthesia nursing model helps reduce uncertainty and promote early recovery in patients with cancer at various stages of their disease, which expands the scope of therapeutic practice and existing theories. It also serves as a guide for care in the anesthesia recovery room.

REPORTING METHOD

We adhered to the relevant Equator guidelines and the checklist of items in the case-control study report.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Patients cooperated with medical staff to complete relevant scales.

Influence of Regional Nerve Block in Addition to General Anesthesia on Postoperative Delirium, Pain, and In-hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Cardiothoracic Surgery: A Meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate whether venous injection of sedative agent or regional nerve block in alliance with major anesthesia could decrease the risk of postoperative delirium occurrence in patients receiving cardiothoracic surgery. Electronic academic databases were retrieved for related publications, and statistical software was used for data pooling and analysis. Forest plot was used to show the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio. Combined receiver operating characteristic curve was used to show the area under the curve of complex data. Seven studies were included for analysis. The risk of occurrence of delirium still showed no difference (risk rate = 0.93, 95% CI, 0.85-1.03) between the intervention group and placebo group. Postoperative pain feeling was more alleviated in patients with prophylactic application of regional nerve block. In addition, prophylactic application of regional nerve block could decrease the risk of postoperative in-hospital stay (risk rate = 0.28, 95% CI, 0.02-0.54). Our study demonstrated that, in elderly patients or pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery, prophylactic application of regional nerve block failed to decrease the incidence of postoperative delirium. However, the option of regional nerve block could decrease the duration of in-hospitalization stay and alleviate the acute pain during the postoperative period after open-heart surgery.

Effect of Dexmedetomidine on Postoperative Plasma Neurofilament Light Chain in Elderly Patients Undergoing Thoracoscopic Surgery: A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose

Dexmedetomidine exerts a neuroprotective effect, however, the mechanism underlying this effect remains unclear. This study aimed to explore whether dexmedetomidine can reduce the increase in neurofilament light chain (NfL) protein concentration to play a neuroprotective role during thoracoscopic surgery.

Patients and Methods

Patients aged ≥60 years undergoing general anesthesia for thoracoscopic surgery were randomly assigned to receive dexmedetomidine (group D) or not receive dexmedetomidine (group C). Patients in group D received a loading dose of dexmedetomidine 0.5 µg/kg before anesthesia induction and a continuous infusion at 0.5 μg·kg-1·h-1 until the end of the surgery. Dexmedetomidine was not administered in group C. The primary outcome was the NfL concentration on postoperative day 1. The concentrations of procalcitonin (PCT), serum amyloid A (SAA), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were detected preoperatively and on postoperative day 1. In addition, the numerical rating scale (NRS) and quality of recovery-40 (QoR-40) scores were evaluated.

Results

A total of 38 patients in group D and 37 in group C were included in the analysis. No differences were observed between the groups in terms of the plasma concentration of NfL preoperatively and on postoperative day 1 (11.17 [8.86, 13.93] vs 13.15 [10.76, 15.56] pg/mL, P > 0.05; 16.70 [12.23, 21.15] vs 19.48 [15.25, 22.85] pg/mL, P > 0.05, respectively). However, the postoperative plasma NfL concentration was significantly higher than the preoperative value in both groups (both P < 0.001). The groups exhibited no differences in PCT, SAA, hs-CRP, NRS, and QoR-40 (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Intraoperative administration of dexmedetomidine at a conventional dose does not appear to significantly reduce the increase in postoperative plasma NfL concentration in elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery. This finding suggests that the neuroprotective effect of dexmedetomidine at a conventional dose was not obvious during general anesthesia.

Association between preoperative on-site CCU visits and postoperative delirium in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication after cardiac surgery (CS), with symptoms like attention disorders and even delays patients' recovery.

AIMS

To evaluate the impact of preoperative on-site visits in the cardiac care unit (CCU) on POD after CS.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients admitted to the CCU with extracorporeal CS were included in the visiting or non-visiting group according to whether they were on visiting week. The visiting group received a preoperative visit from a nurse-led multidisciplinary visiting team (including CCU nurses and physicians) 1 week before surgery in addition to standard care. The non-visiting group received standard care like unstructured information from the CS team and anesthesiologists and so on. The Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU) and the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC) were used to evaluate the POD severity. The incidence, occurrence and duration of POD, as well as the CCU length of stay, postoperative mechanical ventilation duration and length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

A total of 735 participants (369 in the visited group and 366 in the unvisited group) were included in this study. Preoperative on-site visits were associated with a decreased POD incidence (odds ratio [OR]: 0.524, 95% CI: 0.336-0.817), an improved POD severity (OR: 0.578, 95% CI: 0.359-0.932) and a shortening POD duration (OR: 0.972, 95% CI: 0.951-0.994). There was a significant difference between the visiting and non-visiting groups in the mechanical ventilation duration (OR: 0.987, 95% CI: 0.978-0.996).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative on-site visits are associated with a reduction in the incidence, duration, and severity of POD, as well as the mechanical ventilation duration of patients.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study found that preoperative on-site visits were associated with the onset, duration, severity and duration of mechanical ventilation of POD. Although many factors influence the occurrence of POD, a multidisciplinary visiting team led by a nurse (including CCU nurses and physicians) can provide early nursing interventions through preoperative visits, better obtain postoperative cooperation from patients, establish a good nurse-patient relationship and provide better health services to patients. In a realistic CCU setting, nurses and physicians can act as educators, assessing patients before surgery, enhancing preoperative education, improving patient familiarity with the CCU environment and teaching sign language communication skills when patients are mechanically ventilated. These findings can therefore provide the basis for effective clinical care to prevent postoperative POD.

Comparison of the hemodynamic effects of opioid-based versus lidocaine-based induction of anesthesia with propofol in older adults: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The present study aims to compare the hemodynamic profile of lidocaine and fentanyl during propofol induction of general anesthesia.

METHODS

This randomized controlled trial included patients aged above 60 years undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery. The included patients received either 1 mg/kg lidocaine (n = 50) or 1 mcg/kg fentanyl (n = 50) based on total body weight with propofol induction of anesthesia. Patient's hemodynamics were recorded every minute for the first 5 min then every 2 min until 15 min after induction of anesthesia. Hypotension (mean arterial pressure [MAP] <65 mmHg or >30% reduction from baseline) was treated by intravenous 4 mcg bolus of norepinephrine. Outcomes included norepinephrine requirements (primary), the incidence of postinduction hypotension, MAP, heart rate, intubation condition, and postoperative delirium via the cognitive assessment method.

RESULTS

Forty-seven patients in the lidocaine group and 46 patients in the fentanyl group were analyzed. None in the lidocaine group experienced hypotension, while 28/46 (61%) of patients in the fentanyl group developed at least one episode of hypotension requiring a median (25th and 75th quartiles) norepinephrine dose of 4 (0,5) mcg, p-value <0.001 for both outcomes. The average MAP was lower in the fentanyl group than in the lidocaine group at all time points after anesthesia induction. The average heart rate was comparable between the two groups nearly at all time points after anesthesia induction. The overall intubation condition was comparable between the two groups. None of the included patients developed postoperative delirium.

CONCLUSION

Lidocaine-based regimen for induction of anesthesia reduced the risk of postinduction hypotension in older patients compared to the fentanyl-based regimen.

Neurological complications in patients undergoing general surgery: A literature review

Surgical procedures are extremely burdensome for patients, as in addition to complications directly related to the intervention, they expose the patient to further complications resulting from the disturbance of key functions of homeostasis in the body's systems, particularly the circulatory, respiratory, and nervous systems. Furthermore, they may contribute to the exacerbation of symptoms of underlying chronic diseases. This paper focuses on the most common possible neurological complications that may occur after surgical procedures and includes topics such as stroke, chronic pain, neuropathy, and delirium. The risk factors for neurological deficits, their known or possible etiology, the most characteristic symptoms, and potential preventive actions are discussed. The paper analyzes articles from the PubMed, ResearchGate, and Scopus databases. A surge0on's knowledge of possible complications that may occur in the perioperative period enables early recognition and effective reduction of their negative impact on the patient's functioning and quality of life after surgery, contributing to better overall treatment outcomes.

Risk factors and consequences of post-esophagectomy delirium: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Post-operative delirium (POD) is a state of mental and neurocognitive impairment characterized by disorientation and fluctuating levels of consciousness. POD in the context of esophageal surgery may herald serious and potentially life-threatening post-operative complications, or conversely be a symptom of severe underlying pathophysiologic disturbances. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis is to explore risk factors associated with the development of POD and assess its impact on post-operative outcomes. A systematic literature search of the MedLine, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane CENTRAL databases and the clinicaltrials.gov registry was undertaken. A random-effects model was used for data synthesis with pooled outcomes expressed as Odds Ratios (OR), or standardized mean differences (WMD) with corresponding 95% Confidence Intervals. Seven studies incorporating 2449 patients (556 with POD and 1893 without POD) were identified. Patients experiencing POD were older (WMD 0.29 ± 0.13 years, P < 0.001), with higher Charlson's Comorbidity Index (CCI; WMD 0.31 ± 0.23, P = 0.007) and were significantly more likely to be smokers (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.07-1.77, P = 0.01). Additionally, POD was associated with blood transfusions (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.56-2.77, P < 0.001), and a significantly increased likelihood to develop anastomotic leak (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.25-3.29, P = 0.004). Finally, POD was associated with increased mortality (OR 2.71, 95% CI 1.24-5.93, P = 0.01) and longer hospital stay (WMD 0.4 ± 0.24, P = 0.001). These findings highlight the clinical relevance and possible economic impact of POD after esophagectomy for malignant disease and emphasize the need of developing effective preventive strategies.

Intraoperative allogeneic transfusion is associated with postoperative delirium in older patients after total knee and hip arthroplasty

Objective

To determine whether intraoperative transfusion of allogeneic or autologous blood is associated with an increased incidence of postoperative delirium (POD) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods

The medical records of 1,143 older (≥65 years old) patients who received an intraoperative blood transfusion while undergoing total knee or hip arthroplasty at the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from 2014 to 2019 were reviewed; of these patients, 742 (64.92%) received allogeneic blood, while 401 (35.08%) received autologous blood. Patients who received autologous transfusion were paired with those received allogeneic transfusion using 1:1 propensity score matching method. The primary outcome was POD. The secondary outcomes were postoperative complications, including heart failure, deep vein thrombosis, myocardial infarction, stroke, and lung infection. Multivariable nominal logistic regression was used to identify any independent associations between intraoperative blood transfusions and POD, and secondary postoperative complications, respectively.

Results

Postoperative delirium occurred in 6.6% (49/742) of patients who had received an allogeneic blood transfusion and in 2.0% (8/401) of patients who had received an autologous blood transfusion. It is noteworthy that the multivariable logistic regression demonstrated a significant association between intraoperative allogeneic blood transfusion and POD (odds ratio [OR]: 4.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.95-9.77; p < 0.001). After PSM, Allogeneic transfusion was also the strongest predictor for POD (OR: 4.43; 95% CI: 2.09-10.58; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

In the patients who had received THA or TKA, intraoperative allogeneic blood transfusions were associated with an increased risk of POD.

The Predictive Role of Inflammatory Biochemical Markers in Post-Operative Delirium After Vascular Surgery Procedures

Background

Post-operative delirium (POD) is a common complication, especially in elderly patients who underwent vascular surgery procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation of inflammatory biochemical markers as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic inflammation index (SII) with POD occurrence.

Methods

This was a single-center, retrospective, observational study. We analyzed the perioperative data of patients who had undergone elective vascular surgery procedures. The occurrence of delirium after procedure was used to divide the population in two groups: POD-pos and POD-neg group. ROC curves were performed to find the appropriate cut-off values of NLR, PLR and SII. Multivariate analysis was used to identify the independent predictors for POD.

Results

A total of 646 patients were enrolled. Mean age was 76.2±9.8 years, 68.4% were male. Seventy-three patients (11.3%) developed POD. Mean hospital stay was significantly increased in the POD-pos group (6.1±5.4 vs 3.2±2.8 days, p=0.0001). In-hospital reinterventions were more frequent in the POD-pos group (8.2% vs 3.8%). Blood values analysis reported significant differences: Hb, NLR, PLR, SII, creatinine and RCP were strongly increased (p<0.05) in the POD-pos group. ROC curves identified cut-off values for NLR>3.57, PLR>139.2 and SII>676.4. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, Renal Failure, peripheral revascularization procedures, major amputation, general anesthesia, hospitalization in the previous month, NLR>3.57 and SII>676.4 were independent risk factors for POD.

Conclusion

POD represents a common complication of vascular surgery patients. Our study demonstrated that NLR, PLR and SII are reliable and readily available laboratory predictors of POD in vascular surgery that could help in POD risk-stratification.

The association between Monocyte-to-Lymphocyte ratio and postoperative delirium in ICU patients in cardiac surgery

Objective

To analyze the relationship between monocyte‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and postoperative delirium (POD).

Methods

This cohort study was conducted in the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care‐III (MIMIC‐III) version 1.4 database. MLR was measured according to the complete blood count. ICD‐9 was used to measure postoperative delirium. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to examine the relationship between MLR and POD.

Results

Three thousand eight hundred sixty‐eight patients who had received cardiac surgery were retrospectively enrolled, including 2171 males and 1697 females, with a mean age of 63.9 ± 16.2 years. The univariate analysis suggested that high MLR (as a continuous variable) as associated with a 21% higher risk of POD (O R: 1.12, 95% CI, 1.02, 1.43, p = 0.0259), After adjustments for other confounding factors, gender, age, race, temperature, SBP, DBP, MAP, respiratory rate, SOFA, peripheral vascular disease, AG, psychoses, drug, and alcohol addiction, the results showed that high MLR (as a continuous variable) independently served as a risk factor for POD (OR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.01–1.44; p = 0.0378). MLR was assessed as quintile and tertiles, high MLR was an independent risk factor for POD. In the subgroup analysis, there were no differences in MLR for patients with POD in pre‐specified subgroups.

Conclusions

Monocyte‐to‐lymphocyte ratio was a risk factor for POD. More research is necessary to thoroughly examine the function of MLR in POD.

Early Intervention of Perioperative Delirium in Older Patients (>60 years) with Hip Fracture: A Randomized Controlled Study

Objective

To explore the effect of early intervention for perioperative delirium in older (> 60 years) hip fracture patients.

Methods

This prospective study enrolled hip fracture patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted into our hospital between July 2011 and August 2019. Hip fractures were classified according to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteo‐synthesefragen (AO) classification. This study included patients with isolated hip fracture and excluded patients with pathological or peri prosthetic fracture or patients with multiple traumatic injuries and high‐energy trauma. They were randomized to receive conventional orthopedic care group (n = 65) or comprehensive orthopedic care group including preoperative psychological counseling and preventative risperidone (n = 63). Daily assessment was based on patient interview with the CAM‐CR, and delirium was diagnosed by the Delirium Rating Scale (DRS‐R‐98). The rate, severity and duration of perioperative delirium and the length of postoperative stay were analyzed.

Results

Totally 200 patients were screened for eligibility. Twenty patients were excluded due to alcohol abuse and 40 were excluded because of brain lesions on head CT. In addition, 12 patients were excluded because of impaired cognition. Finally 128 patients were enrolled. Their mean age was 75.3 ± 2.2 years for the comprehensive orthopedic care group and 73.5 ± 6.1 years for the conventional orthopedic care group, and 53.9% of the patients were female. Sixty‐eight (53.1%) patients had intertrochanteric fracture, 39.8% patients had femoral head fracture, and 7.0% patients had subtrochanteric fracture. In addition, 58.6% patients underwent internal fixation and 41.4% patients received arthroplasty. In this study, 63 patients were randomized to the comprehensive orthopedic care group and 65 patients to the conventional orthopedic care group. The two groups were comparable in demographic and baseline characteristics (P > 0.05). The rate of perioperative delirium was significantly lower in the comprehensive care group vs the conventional care group (15.9% vs. 30.8%; P < 0.05). The comprehensive care group had significantly reduced length of postoperative hospital stay vs the conventional care group (11.3 ± 2.5 days vs. 14.2 ± 2.2 days, P < 0.01). The mean DRS‐R‐98 score was 7.1 ± 2.7 for the comprehensive care group, and was significantly lower than that of the conventional orthopedic care group (11.2 ± 3.0; P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our early intervention may reduce the incidence of perioperative delirium in elderly hip fracture patients (>60 years).

The Association Between Preoperative Frailty and Postoperative Delirium: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Identifying factors that place patients at high risk for developing postoperative delirium is an important first step to reduce incidence. Frailty is associated with poor postoperative outcomes. This meta-analysis aims to determine the association between preoperative frailty and postoperative delirium.

DESIGN

This is a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

We used PubMed, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Web of Science as databases for the search up to April 23, 2020. We included cohort studies that assessed postoperative delirium as the outcome and described the prevalence of delirium among participants during the postoperative period. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated to examine the association.

FINDINGS

Twenty cohort studies met our inclusion criteria, which included a total of 4,568 patients. We found that preoperative frailty was significantly associated with an increased risk of postoperative delirium (crude odds ratio: 3.28; 95% confidence interval: 2.51 to 4.28; I² = 46.7%) (adjusted odds ratio: 2.45; 95% confidence interval: 1.58 to 3.81; I² = 88.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis showed that preoperative frailty is an independent risk factor for postoperative delirium. In patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery, there is a lower association between frailty and postoperative delirium. In patients with other types of surgery, preoperative frailty is closely related to postoperative delirium.

Related Factors and Treatment of Postoperative Delirium in Old Adult Patients: An Integrative Review

“Postoperative delirium” is defined as delirium occurring in the hospital up to one week after a procedure or before discharge (whichever occurs first) that meets the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. Objectives: To describe the risk factors related to this pathology and identify effective non-pharmacological forms of treatment. An integrative review of the available literature was performed. The search results considered included all quantitative studies published between 2011 and 2019 in both English and Spanish. A total of 117 studies were selected. Advanced age was identified as the principal risk factor for postoperative delirium. Nursing interventions appear to be the key to preventing or reducing the seriousness of delirium after an anaesthetic episode. The aetiology of postoperative delirium remains unknown, and no treatment exists to eliminate this pathology. The role of nursing staff is fundamental in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of the pathology.

The effect of pre-operative methylprednisolone on postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Pre-operative administration of methylprednisolone reduced circulating markers of endothelial activation. This randomized, double-blind was to evaluate whether a single pre-operative dose of methylprednisolone reduced the rate of postoperative delirium (POD) in older patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery, and its association with the shedding of endothelial glycocalyx markers.

METHODS

168 patients, aged 65-80 years and scheduled for laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery, were randomized to 2 mg·kg -1 methylprednisolone (Group M, n = 84); or equivalent dose of placebo (Group C, n = 84). The primary outcome was the incidence of delirium during the first 5 days after surgery, assessed by the confusion assessment method (CAM). POD severity was rated daily using CAM-Severity (CAM-S). Level of syndecan-1, heparan sulfate, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were measured at baseline, 1-day, and 3-day after surgery.

RESULTS

Compared with placebo, methylprednisolone greatly reduced the incidence of delirium at 72 h following surgery [9(10.7%) versus 20(23.8%), P =0.03, OR=2.22(95%CI 1.05-4.59)]. No between-group difference was found in the cumulative CAM-S score (P=0.14). The levels of heparan sulfate, syndecan-1, and TNF-α in Group M were lower than that in Group C (P <0.05 and P <0.01), while the level of BDNF in Group M was higher than that in Group C (P <0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-operative administration of methylprednisolone does not reduce the severity of POD, but may reduce the incidence of delirium after gastrointestinal surgery in elderly patients, which may be related to a reduction in circulating markers of endothelial degradation, followed by the increase of BNDF level.

Delirium in Critical Illness Patients and the Potential Role of Thiamine Therapy in Prevention and Treatment: Findings from a Scoping Review with Implications for Evidence-Based Practice

INTRODUCTION

Thiamine is a water-soluble vitamin and is necessary for energy metabolism. Critically ill patients are at particular risk of developing thiamine deficiency and related complications. One of the complications that can occur is delirium. Delirium is a disorder that affects the body's response to treatment, length of stay in the ward, mortality, long-term cognitive impairment, and significantly increases treatment costs. In addition, studies show that delirium medication is more effective in preventing than in treating delirium. Given its low cost, availability, and minimal risk of side effects, thiamine supplementation could prove to be a relevant strategy in the prevention and treatment of delirium.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Library, Ovid, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched using relevant keywords that focus on the use of thiamine to prevent or treat delirium in critically ill patients.

RESULTS

Seven articles were included in the analysis.

CONCLUSION

The small number of studies and considerable heterogeneity prevent conclusions supporting the use of thiamine as an adjuvant in the prevention and treatment of delirium among critically ill patients. There is a need for high-quality, large-scale randomized clinical trials to confirm the beneficial effects of thiamine in the prevention and treatment of delirium.

Development and validation of a postoperative delirium prediction model for pediatric patients: A prospective, observational, single-center study

Postoperative delirium is a serious complication that relates to poor outcomes. A risk prediction model could help the staff screen for children at high risk for postoperative delirium. Our study aimed to establish a postoperative delirium prediction model for pediatric patients and to verify the sensitivity and specificity of this model.Data were collected from a total of 1134 children (0-16yr) after major elective surgery between February 2020 to June 2020. Demographic and clinical data were collected to explore the risk factors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to develop the model, and we assessed the predictive ability of the model by using the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC). Further data were collected from another 100 patients in October 2020 to validate the model.Prevalence of postoperative delirium in this sample was 11.1%. The model consisted of 5 predictors, namely, age, developmental delay, type of surgery, pain, and dexmedetomidine. The AUROC was 0.889 (P < .001, 95% confidence interval (CI):0.857-0.921), with sensitivity and specificity of 0.754 and 0.867, and the Youden of 0.621. The model verification results showed the sensitivity of 0.667, the specificity of 0.955.Children undergoing surgery are at risk for developing delirium during the postoperative period, young age, developmental delay, otorhinolaryngology surgery, pain, and exposure to dexmedetomidine were associated with increased odds of delirium. Our study established a postoperative delirium prediction model for pediatric patients, which may be a base for development of strategies to prevent and treat postoperative delirium in children.

Risk factors for incident delirium among urological patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis with GRADE summary of findings

Background

Post-operative delirium is an important, yet under-researched complication of surgery. Patients undergoing urological surgery may be at especially high risk of POD, as they are often older, and interventions can be associated with conditions that trigger delirium. The main aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the available evidence for risk factors in this patient group.

Methods

Five databases were searched (MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsychInfo) between January 1987 and June 2019. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was used to assess for risk of bias. Pooled odds ratio or mean difference (MD) for individual risk factors were estimated using the Mantel–Haenzel and inverse variance methods.

Results

Seven articles met the inclusion criteria, giving a total population of 1937. The incidence of POD ranged from 5 to 29%. Three studies were deemed low risk of bias and four at a high risk of bias. Nine risk factors were suitable for meta-analysis, with age (MD 4.314 95% CI 1.597, 7.032 p = 0.002) and the clock drawing test (MD − 2.443 95% CI − 3.029, − 1.857 p < 0.001) having a statistically significant association with POD in pooled analyses.

Conclusion

Delirium is common in urological patients. This review has identified a lack of studies in this surgical population, with wide heterogeneity and high risk of bias. It also highlights a number of potential risk factors for post-operative delirium, of which some are modifiable. However, the strength of evidence is weak at present and so future research should focus on assessing comparable risk factors in this patient group in order to inform future clinical practice.

Review registration The review protocol was prospectively registered with the PROSPERO database (reference CRD42017054613)

Thiamine for Prevention of Postoperative Delirium in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective:

Postoperative delirium is a common complication after gastrointestinal surgery that is associated with adverse outcomes. Thiamine is an essential cofactor for the glycolysis, oxidative metabolism, production of neurotransmitters in the crebs cycle. In this study, efficacy of thiamine was assessed as a preventive strategy of delirium in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.

Methods:

In this randomized clinical trial, 96 adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) following gastrointestinal surgery were included. Patients were allocated to receive either 200 mg intravenous thiamine daily or an equal volume of 0.9% saline for 3 days. Delirium was evaluated twice daily based on the confusion assessment method-ICU. The incidence of postoperative delirium was considered as the primary outcome, and total analgesic use and ventilation days has been defined as secondary outcomes of the study.

Findings:

The incidence rate of delirium was significantly lower in the thiamine group than the placebo group on the first day (8.3% vs. 25%; Odds ratio: 0.27 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.08–0.92]; P= 0.026) and on the second day (4.2% vs. 20.8%; or: 0.16 [95% CI: 0.03–0.81]; P= 0.014). No adverse effect related to thiamine was detected during the study course.

Conclusion:

Study results suggest that thiamine is a safe option for the prevention of postoperative delirium in patients after gastrointestinal surgery.

Effectiveness of non-pharmacological strategies for managing delirium in hospitalized postoperative adults: an umbrella review protocol

REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE

The question of this review: What is the effectiveness of non-pharmacological strategies for the management of delirium in hospitalized adult postoperative patients?The objective of this umbrella review is to determine the effectiveness of non-pharmacological strategies for the management of delirium in adult postoperative patients, 18 years and over, in an acute care hospitalized setting.More specifically, the review aims to identify which non-pharmacological strategy/strategies, provided as a single strategy or combined as two or more strategies, is the most effective for management of delirium in hospitalized postoperative adult patients?

Delay in detection and treatment of perioperative anemia in hip fracture surgery and its impact on postoperative outcomes

BACKGROUND

Elderly patients with hip fractures are at high risk for perioperative anemia as a result of fracture- and surgery-related blood loss. The detection of anemia is dependent on intermittent blood samples and therefore might be delayed, potentially leading to a significant delay in transfusion. This study aimed to investigate the possible delay in perioperative anemia detection, accumulated perioperative anemia-associated burden, peripheral perfusion, and their association with patient outcomes in elderly patients with hip fracture.

METHODS

Elderly patients with acute hip fracture scheduled for surgery were enrolled in this prospective study from August 2016 to December 2016. All patients were monitored continuously for hemoglobin concentration (SpHb) and perfusion index (PI) with the Radical-7® Pulse CO-Oximeter® and Rainbow® R1 Adhesive Multi-parameter Sensors (Masimo Corp., Irvine, CA, US) from 12 h presurgery to 24 h postsurgery.

RESULTS

Fifty-one patients were enrolled, and 41 were included in the final analyses. Mean delay in the detection of low Hb (<10 g/dL) using intermittent blood samples, when compared with SpHb, was 1.07 h (standard deviation, ±2.84 h). Median perioperative cumulated time with low SpHb (<10 g/dL for at least one min) was 25 min (interquartile range [IQR]: 21-690). There was a significant association between perioperative time with low SpHb and the occurrence of postoperative delirium (median cumulated time with low SpHb: 162 min in patients with delirium vs 22 min in patients without delirium, P = 0.034) and a nonsignificant trend for an association between perioperative time with low SpHb and 90-day mortality or medical complications (median cumulated time with low SpHb: 119 min for patients with mortality or severe complication vs 22 min for patients without mortality or severe complication, P = 0.104). PI values during the perioperative period were not significantly associated with patient outcomes. Cumulated time with low PI (<0.5) preoperatively (but not perioperatively) was significantly associated with the occurrence of postoperative delirium (P = 0.047).

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed a delay in transfusion threshold detection, and the presence of significant associations between low SpHb or time with low SpHb and postoperative outcomes.

Risk Factors for the Development of Postoperative Delirium in Pediatric Intensive Care Patients

OBJECTIVES

To determine and quantify risk factors for postoperative pediatric delirium.

DESIGN

Single-center prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Twenty-two bed PICU in a tertiary care academic medical center in Germany.

PATIENTS

All children admitted after major elective surgery (n = 93; 0-17 yr).

INTERVENTIONS

After awakening, children were screened for delirium using the Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium bid over a period of 5 days. Demographic and clinical data were collected from the initiation of general anesthesia.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A total of 61 patients (66%) were delirious. Younger children developed delirium more frequently, and the symptoms were more pronounced. The number of preceding operations did not influence the risk of delirium. Total IV anesthesia had a lower risk than inhalational anesthesia (p < 0.05). Duration of anesthesia was similar in all groups. Patients with delirium had a longer duration of mechanical ventilation in the PICU (p < 0.001). Significant differences in cumulative doses of various medications (e.g., sedatives, analgesics, and anticholinergics) were noted between groups; these differences were independent of disease severity. Invasive catheters and respiratory devices (p < 0.01) as well as infections (p < 0.001) increased risk of delirium.

CONCLUSIONS

A high prevalence of delirium was noted in the PICU, and several perioperative risk factors were identified. Our data may be a base for development of strategies to prevent and treat postoperative delirium in children.

Use of Dexmedetomidine in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia

Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective α₂-adrenergic agonist with analgesic and sedative properties. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the drug for short-lasting sedation (24 h) in intensive care units (ICUs) in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation and endotracheal intubation. In October 2008, the Food and Drug Administration extended use of the drug for the sedation of nonintubated patients before and during surgical and nonsurgical procedures. In the European Union, the European Medicine Agency approved the use of dexmedetomidine in September 2011 with a single recognized indication: ICU adult patients requiring mild sedation and awakening in response to verbal stimulus. At present, the use of dexmedetomidine for sedation outside the ICU remains an off-label indication. The benefits of dexmedetomidine in critically ill patients and in cardiac, electrophysiology-related, vascular, and thoracic procedures are discussed.

The Impact of Comorbidity on Surgical Outcomes in Older Adults with Cancer

OBJECTIVES

To provide an overview of the impact of comorbidity on surgical outcomes and postoperative geriatric events in older adults with cancer, and review key components of quality perioperative nursing care of older adults with cancer.

DATA SOURCES

Journal articles, research reports, state of the science papers, position papers, and clinical guidelines from professional organizations.

CONCLUSION

The high prevalence of multiple comorbidities and the associated burden of geriatric events in older adults after cancer surgery have a substantial impact on surgical outcomes, quality of life, and health care costs. Practical and efficient models of comprehensive assessment, prevention, and management of postoperative geriatric events and comorbid conditions are needed to improve surgical outcomes for this vulnerable cancer population.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

Oncology nurses practicing in clinical and research settings have a responsibility to arm themselves with evidence-based knowledge and resources to improve the perioperative care of older adults with cancer.

How patients fare after anaesthesia for elective surgery: a survey of postoperative nausea and vomiting, pain and confusion

INTRODUCTION

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and postoperative pain are common during the early postoperative period. In addition to these problems, elderly patients risk developing postoperative confusion. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with these problems, and the extent of these problems, in a Singapore inpatient surgical population.

METHODS

Over a period of six weeks, we surveyed 707 elective surgical inpatients aged ≥ 18 years who received general anaesthesia and/or regional anaesthesia.

RESULTS

The incidence of PONV was 31.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 34.8-41.9). The incidence increased with increasing Apfel score (p < 0.001) and were higher in female patients (odds ratio [OR] 1.74, 95% CI 1.28-2.36), non-smokers (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.04-2.88), patients with a history of PONV and/or motion sickness (OR 3.45, 95% CI 2.38-5.24), patients who received opioids (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.03-1.88), and patients who received general anaesthesia (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.11-2.79). Moderate to severe pain at rest and with movement were reported in 19.9% and 52.5% of patients, respectively. Among the patients who were predicted to experience mild pain, 29.5% reported moderate pain and 8.1% reported severe pain. The prevalence of postoperative confusion was 3.9% in the geriatric population.

CONCLUSION

Higher Apfel scores were associated with a higher risk of PONV and multimodal treatment for postoperative pain management was found to be insufficient. The incidence of postoperative confusion was low in this study.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factors for postoperative delirium among older patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is common after surgery. As age is a known risk factor, the increased ageing of the population undergoing surgery emphasizes the importance of the subject. Knowledge of other potential risk factors in older patients with surgical gastrointestinal diseases is lacking. The aim here was to collate and synthesize the published literature on risk factors for delirium in this group.

METHODS

Five databases were searched (MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL(®) and PSYCinfo(®) ) between January 1987 and November 2014. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to rate study quality. Pooled odds ratios or mean differences for individual risk factors were estimated using the Mantel-Haenszel and inverse-variance methods.

RESULTS

Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria; they provided a total of 1427 patients (318 with delirium and 1109 without), and predominantly included patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. The incidence of POD ranged from 8·2 to 54·4 per cent. A total of 95 risk factors were investigated, illustrating wide heterogeneity in study design. Seven statistically significant risk factors were identified in pooled analysis: old age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status grade at least III, body mass index, lower serum level of albumin, intraoperative hypotension, perioperative blood transfusion and history of alcohol excess. Patients with POD had a significantly increased duration of hospital stay and a higher mortality rate compared with those without delirium.

CONCLUSION

Delirium is common in older patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. Several risk factors were consistently associated with POD.

Intravenous Patient-controlled Analgesia Has a Positive Effect on the Prognosis of Delirium in Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Surgery

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium is relatively common. However, the relationship between intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) and delirium has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of IV-PCA on the prognosis of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery.

METHODS

Medical records of 129 patients with postoperative delirium were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they used IV-PCA with fentanyl and ketorolac. The IV-PCA group consisted of 73 patients who were managed with IV-PCA; the NO-PCA group consisted of 56 patients who were managed without PCA.

RESULTS

Incidences of multiple psychiatric consultations and prolonged delirium were significantly lower in patients using IV-PCA with fentanyl and ketorolac than in those without PCA.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend the use of IV-PCA for pain control and management of delirium in patients with postoperative delirium.

Strategies for prevention of postoperative delirium: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials

INTRODUCTION

The ideal measures to prevent postoperative delirium remain unestablished. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to clarify the significance of potential interventions.

METHODS

The PRISMA statement guidelines were followed. Two researchers searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library for articles published in English before August 2012. Additional sources included reference lists from reviews and related articles from 'Google Scholar'. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on interventions seeking to prevent postoperative delirium in adult patients were included. Data extraction and methodological quality assessment were performed using predefined data fields and scoring system. Meta-analysis was accomplished for studies that used similar strategies. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of postoperative delirium. We further tested whether interventions effective in preventing postoperative delirium shortened the length of hospital stay.

RESULTS

We identified 38 RCTs with interventions ranging from perioperative managements to pharmacological, psychological or multicomponent interventions. Meta-analysis showed dexmedetomidine sedation was associated with less delirium compared to sedation produced by other drugs (two RCTs with 415 patients, pooled risk ratio (RR)=0.39; 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.16 to 0.95). Both typical (three RCTs with 965 patients, RR=0.71; 95% CI=0.54 to 0.93) and atypical antipsychotics (three RCTs with 627 patients, RR=0.36; 95% CI=0.26 to 0.50) decreased delirium occurrence when compared to placebos. Multicomponent interventions (two RCTs with 325 patients, RR=0.71; 95% CI=0.58 to 0.86) were effective in preventing delirium. No difference in the incidences of delirium was found between: neuraxial and general anesthesia (four RCTs with 511 patients, RR=0.99; 95% CI=0.65 to 1.50); epidural and intravenous analgesia (three RCTs with 167 patients, RR=0.93; 95% CI=0.61 to 1.43) or acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and placebo (four RCTs with 242 patients, RR=0.95; 95% CI=0.63 to 1.44). Effective prevention of postoperative delirium did not shorten the length of hospital stay (10 RCTs with 1,636 patients, pooled SMD (standard mean difference)=-0.06; 95% CI=-0.16 to 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

The included studies showed great inconsistencies in definition, incidence, severity and duration of postoperative delirium. Meta-analysis supported dexmedetomidine sedation, multicomponent interventions and antipsychotics were useful in preventing postoperative delirium.