Systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factor for postoperative delirium following spinal surgery

A longitudinal multimodal MRI study of the visual network in postoperative delirium

Although structural and functional damage to the brain is considered to be an important neurobiological mechanism of postoperative delirium (POD), alterations in the visual cortical network related to this vulnerability have not yet been determined. In this study, we investigated the impact of alterations in the visual network (VN), as measured by structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), on the development of POD. Thirty-six adult patients with frontal glioma who underwent elective craniotomy were recruited. The primary outcome was POD 1-7 days after surgery, as assessed by the Confusion Assessment Method. Cognition before surgery was measured by a battery of neuropsychological tests. Then, we evaluated preoperative and postoperative gray matter volume (GMV) and functional connectivity (FC) alterations by voxel-based morphometry and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) between the POD and non-POD groups. Multiple logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between neuroimaging biomarkers and the occurrence of POD. Compared to those in the non-POD group, a decreased GMV in the fusiform gyrus (0.181 [0.018] vs. 0.207 [0.022], FDRp = 0.001) and decreased FC between the fusiform gyrus and VN (0.351 [0.153] vs. 0.610 [0.197], GFRp < 0.001) were observed preoperatively in the POD group, and increased FC between the fusiform gyrus and ventral attentional network (0.538 [0.180] vs. 0.452 [0.184], GFRp =  < 0.001) was observed postoperatively in the POD group. According to our multiple logistic regression analysis, age (Odds ratio [OR]: 1.141 [1.015 to 1.282], P = 0.03) and preoperative fusiform-VN FC (OR 0.001 [0.001 to 0.067], P = 0.01) were significantly related to risk of POD. Our findings suggested that preoperative functional disconnectivity between fusiform and VN might be highly involved in the development of POD. These findings may allow for the discovery of additional underlying mechanisms.

Postoperative Delirium Following Posterior Lumbar Spinal Fusion: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Associated Complications

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is frequently reported in the elderly after major surgery. Several risk factors have been identified, including age, surgical complexity, and comorbidities.

METHODS

Posterior lumbar fusion patients were identified using PearlDiver and filtered into two cohorts based on the presence or absence of POD within 7 days of surgery. Epidemiological analyses were performed to examine trends in POD by age and year. Comparative analyses were performed on patient demographics and baseline cognitive status. After matching by age, sex, and comorbidities, electrolyte disturbances and 90-day postoperative complications were analyzed.

RESULTS

Among 476,482 no POD and 2591 POD patients, the mean age was 60.90 years, 57.6% were female, and the mean Charlson comorbidity index was 1.78. POD patients frequently had baseline cognitive impairment (P < 0.001). Incidence of POD decreased from 0.7% in 2010 to 0.4% in 2022 (P < 0.001) and increased with increasing patient age (P < 0.001). POD patients had higher length of stay (12 vs. 6 days, P < 0.001) and 90-day costs ($20,605 vs. $17,849, P < 0.001). After matching, POD patients had higher hypernatremia (5.8% vs. 3.5%, P = 0.001) and hypocalcemia (5.0% vs. 3.5%, P = 0.026). POD patients had higher 90-day postoperative complications (P < 0.05) than no POD patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly 0.5% of patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion between 2010 and 2022 developed delirium, although incidence rates have decreased over time. POD was common in elderly patients with electrolyte disturbances who underwent multilevel fusions. Patients suffering from POD had higher rates of 90-day postoperative complications. Ongoing efforts to deliver interventions to mitigate the consequences of POD among spine surgery patients are warranted.

The impact of preoperative psychiatric intervention for postoperative delirium after major oral and maxillofacial surgery with free flap reconstruction

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a severe complication associated with various adverse outcomes, especially in older patients. Although the incidence and risk factors for POD have been explored in general surgery, they have not been fully elucidated. Early identification of high-risk patients and active preoperative intervention are considered essential for the prevention of POD. Recently, psychiatric consultation intervention have been shown to prevent delirium. This study investigated the effect of preoperative psychiatric interventions on preventing POD in our specific surgical context.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective, single-center observational study included 86 patients who underwent major oral and maxillofacial surgery with free flap reconstruction between 2016 and 2023. The effect of psychiatric intervention were compared between patients with and without delirium.

RESULTS

Preoperative psychiatric intervention did not reduce the incidence of POD. The incidence of POD was 29.1 %. Univariate analyses showed no significant associations between POD and any clinical variables.

CONCLUSION

There was no difference in the incidence of POD between patients who received preoperative psychiatric intervention and those who did not, and further investigation is needed to determine the efficacy of preoperative psychiatric intervention in the prevention of POD.

Association between preoperative persistent hyperglycemia and postoperative delirium in geriatric hip fracture patients

BACKGROUND

The management of preoperative blood glucose levels in reducing the incidence of postoperative delirium (POD) remains controversial. This study aims to investigate the impact of preoperative persistent hyperglycemia on POD in geriatric patients with hip fractures.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study analyzed medical records of patients who underwent hip fracture surgery at a tertiary medical institution between January 2013 and November 2023. Patients were categorized based on preoperative hyperglycemia (hyperglycemia defined as ≥ 6.1mmol/L), clinical classification of hyperglycemia, and percentile thresholds. Multivariate logistic regression and propensity score matching analysis (PSM) were employed to assess the association between different levels of preoperative glucose and POD. Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore potential interactions.

RESULTS

A total of 1440 patients were included in this study, with an incidence rate of POD at 19.1% (275/1440). Utilizing multiple logistic analysis, we found that patients with hyperglycemia had a 1.65-fold increased risk of experiencing POD compared to those with normal preoperative glucose levels (95% CI: 1.17-2.32). Moreover, a significant upward trend was discerned in both the strength of association and the predicted probability of POD with higher preoperative glucose levels. PSM did not alter this trend, even after meticulous adjustments for potential confounding factors. Additionally, when treating preoperative glucose levels as a continuous variable, we observed a 6% increase in the risk of POD (95% CI: 1-12%) with each 1mmol/L elevation in preoperative glucose levels.

CONCLUSIONS

There exists a clear linear dose-response relationship between preoperative blood glucose levels and the risk of POD. Higher preoperative hyperglycemia was associated with a greater risk of POD.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

NCT06473324.

Predictiveness of preoperative laboratory values for postoperative delirium

Background

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common postoperative complication, especially in patients over 60 years, with an incidence ranging from 15% to 50%. In most cases, POD manifests in the first 5 days after surgery. Multiple contributing risk factors for POD have been detected. Besides the predisposing factors such as higher age, cognitive impairment, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and past stroke, pathophysiological mechanisms like neuroinflammation are also considered as contributing factors.

Methods

In a subanalysis of the "PRe- Operative  Prediction of postoperative  DElirium by appropriate  SCreening" (PROPDESC) study, the preoperative laboratory values of sodium, potassium, total protein, hemoglobin concentration (Hgb), and white blood cells as well as the biomarkers creatinine, HbA1c, NT-pro-BNP, high sensitive Troponin T (hsTnT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed to investigate a possible relationship to the occurrence of POD.

Results

After correction for age, physical status classification, surgery risk after Johns Hopkins, and operative discipline (cardiac surgery vs. noncardiac surgery), male patients with a Hgb <13 g/dL had significantly higher odds for POD (p = 0.025). Furthermore, patients with CRP ≥ 10 mg/L, HbA1c value ≥ 8.5% as well as patients with hypernatraemia (>145 mmol/L) presented significantly higher odds to develop POD (p = 0.011, p < 0.001, and p = 0.021, respectively). A raised (>14-52 ng/L) or high (>52 ng/L) hsTnT value was also associated with a significantly higher chance for POD compared to the patient group with hsTnT <14 ng/L (p < 0.001 and p = 0.016, respectively).

Conclusions

Preoperative Hgb, CRP, HbA1c, sodium, and hsTnT could be used to complement and refine the preoperative screening for patients at risk for POD. Further studies should track these correlations to investigate the potential of targeted POD protection and enabling hospital staff to initiate POD-preventing measures in time.

Super-elderly, spinal surgery, evaluating the risks and benefits: a retrospective single-centre cohort study

INTRODUCTION

An increasingly ageing population presents emerging healthcare challenges. Adequate clinical evaluation and understanding of outcome-predicting factors are integral to delivering safe spinal surgery to super-elderly patients.

AIM

To evaluate spine surgery outcomes in patients aged 80 or above.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated patients 80 years and above who underwent elective or emergency spinal surgery between 2017 and 2022. The Eurospine Surgery Classification (ESC) was used to classify operations into Large, Medium, and Small. We calculated and compared Clinical Frailty Scores (CFS) pre- and post-operatively.

RESULTS

Two hundred forty-five patients met the inclusion criteria. Most were male (n = 145). The age range was 80 to 99 (mean 83.3). Most operations were elective (n = 151, 62%). In our cohort, 211, 22, 10,2 and 1 patients had degenerative, trauma, tumour, infective and vascular pathologies, respectively. According to the Eurospine classification, 201 (82.0%) had Minor spine surgery (63 emergently and 138 electively), 38 had Medium surgery (15.5% - 30 emergently and 8 electively), and 6 had Large surgery (2.4% - 1 emergently and 5 electively). 163 (66.5%) were discharged or under follow-up. There were 11 in-patient mortalities (4.5%). Outpatient mortality was 51 (20.8%), with the median time from surgery to death being 504.5 days, all the outpatient mortalities were neither non-spinal pathology nor spinal surgical related. CFS improved across the cohort, from 5 pre-operatively to 4 post-operatively (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Spine surgery in those over the 80s can be performed safely and improve their quality of life, as demonstrated by improvements in the CFS. Good patient selection and adequate pre-operative workup is essential, although it may not be possible in emergencies.

Impaired glucose utilization in the brain of patients with delirium following hip fracture

Alterations in brain energy metabolism have long been proposed as one of several neurobiological processes contributing to delirium. This is supported by previous findings of altered CSF lactate and neuron-specific enolase concentrations and decreased glucose uptake on brain-PET in patients with delirium. Despite this, there are limited data on metabolic alterations found in CSF samples, and targeted metabolic profiling of CSF metabolites involved in energy metabolism has not been performed. The aim of the study was to investigate whether metabolites related to energy metabolism in the serum and CSF of patients with hip fracture are associated with delirium. The study cohort included 406 patients with a mean age of 81 years (standard deviation 10 years), acutely admitted to hospital for surgical repair of a hip fracture. Delirium was assessed daily until the fifth postoperative day. CSF was collected from all 406 participants at the onset of spinal anaesthesia, and serum samples were drawn concurrently from 213 participants. Glucose and lactate in CSF were measured using amperometry, whereas plasma glucose was measured in the clinical laboratory using enzymatic photometry. Serum and CSF concentrations of the branched-chain amino acids, 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid, acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate were measured using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). In total, 224 (55%) patients developed delirium pre- or postoperatively. Ketone body concentrations (acetoacetate, β-hydroxybutyrate) and branched-chain amino acids were significantly elevated in the CSF but not in serum among patients with delirium, despite no group differences in glucose concentrations. The level of 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid was significantly elevated in both CSF and serum. An elevation of CSF lactate during delirium was explained by age and comorbidity. Our data suggest that altered glucose utilization and a shift to ketone body metabolism occurs in the brain during delirium.

Perioperative neurocognitive disorder changes in elderly diabetes patients within 30 days after surgery: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) are a common central nervous system complication that predominantly affects the elderly. PND after surgery includes postoperative delirium (POD), delayed neurocognitive recovery up to 30 days (DNR), and postoperative neurocognitive disorder up to 12 months. Diabetes is an important independent risk factor for PND. Over the years, few studies have assessed the incidence of PND and the difference in serum biomarkers between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. We sought to examine the difference in the incidence of PND between elderly diabetic and non-diabetic patients in China and identify the risk factors of PND in elderly diabetics.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary and exploratory data analysis from our prior studies, including patients aged 65 years or older who underwent non-cardiac elective surgery with general anesthesia. We used the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) to assess patient cognition.

RESULTS

A total of 236 patients were analyzed; the incidence of PND was significantly higher in diabetic than in non-diabetic patients within 30 days (59.2% vs. 36.8%) (P = 0.022). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the preoperative MoCA was an independent risk factor for PND (odds ratio, 0.88 [0.8 to 0.97]; P = 0.014), and Hosmer-Lemeshow tests showed that it could predict PND in diabetic patients (P = 0.360). According to the maximum Youden index, the optimal cutoff for preoperative MoCA was 21.5 points, yielding a specificity and sensitivity of 88.0% and 55.2% for PND. The levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and Tau in diabetic patients before and after surgery were significantly higher than in non-diabetic patients among cases of PND (P = 0.002 and 0.011, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The incidence of PND is higher in diabetic than in non-diabetic patients in China, and preoperative MoCA is an independent risk factor for PND in diabetics. Meanwhile, the changes in GFAP and p-Tau in diabetic patients who experienced PND were significantly higher than in non-diabetic ones.

Impact of nursing interventions on discharge disposition in patients with postoperative delirium

PURPOSE

To identify patient characteristics and perioperative factors associated with non-home patient discharges and the impact of current delirium nursing interventions on discharge disposition, especially non-home dispositions.

METHODS

A retrospective pilot chart review was conducted using electronic health records from five networked hospitals in the Mountain West region of the US. The sample comprised 75 randomly selected patients aged 65 or older who screened positive for delirium during hospitalization. Relationships between patient characteristics, nursing interventions, and discharge dispositions were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression.

RESULTS

Most participants (69.3%) were discharged to non-home facilities. Delayed urinary catheter removal was a significant nursing intervention factor. Patients with delayed urinary catheter removal were at increased risk of being discharged to a non-home setting compared with those with early urinary catheter removal (aOR: 14.11, P = .010). Preoperative hypoalbuminemia and surgery durations exceeding 60 minutes were associated with non-home dispositions.

CONCLUSION

Delayed urinary catheter removal, surgery duration greater than 1 hour, and preoperative hypoalbuminemia increased the likelihood of non-home discharge placement for older adults who experience postoperative delirium.

Incidence and risk factors for postoperative delirium after head and neck cancer surgery: an updated meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a frequent neurologic dysfunction that often leads to more negative outcomes. Early identification of patients who are vulnerable to POD and early implementation of appropriate management strategies could decrease its occurrence and improve patient prognosis. Therefore, this meta-analysis comprehensively and quantitatively summarized the prevalence and related predictive factors of POD in head and neck cancer surgical patients.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for observational studies that reported the prevalence and risk factors for POD after head and neck cancer surgery and were published from their inception until December 31, 2022. Two reviewers independently selected qualified articles and extracted data. The qualities of related papers were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.0 were applied to analysis the data and conduct the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Sixteen observational studies with 3289 inpatients who underwent head and neck cancer surgery were included in this review. The occurrence of POD ranged from 4.2 to 36.9%, with a pooled incidence of 20% (95% CI 15-24%, I2 = 93.2%). The results of this pooled analysis demonstrated that the statistically significant risk factors for POD were increased age (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.03-1.07, P < 0.001), age > 75 years (OR: 6.52, 95% CI: 3.07-13.87, P < 0.001), male sex (OR: 2.29, 95% CI: 1.06-4.97, P = 0.04), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists grade (OR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.44-3.33, P < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (OR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.24-6.01, P = 0.01), and history of smoking (OR: 2.74, 95% CI: 1.13-6.65, P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

POD frequently occurs after head and neck cancer surgery. Several independent predictors for POD were identified, which might contribute to identifying patients at high risk for POD and play a prominent role in preventing POD in patients following head and neck cancer surgery.

Association of cervical atherosclerosis on Doppler ultrasonography and postoperative delirium in patients undergoing spinal surgery: a single-center, retrospective, observational study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate the association between cervical atherosclerosis on Doppler ultrasonography and postoperative delirium (POD) in patients undergoing spinal surgery.

METHODS

In this retrospective observational study using prospectively collected data, 295 consecutive patients aged > 50 years underwent spine surgery at a single institution between March 2015 and February 2021. Cervical atherosclerosis was defined as the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery (CCA) being ≥ 1.1 mm on pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasonography. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed with the prevalence of postoperative delirium as a dependent variable. Age, sex, body mass index, medical history, American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA-PS), CHADS2 score (an assessment score for stroke), instrumentation, duration of surgery, blood loss, and cervical arteriosclerosis were the independent variables.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven patients of 295 (9.2%) developed delirium postoperatively. Forty-one (13.9%) of the 295 patients had cervical atherosclerosis. Their univariate analyses showed that age (P = 0.001), hypertension (P = 0.016), cancer (P = 0.046), antiplatelet agent use (P < 0.001), ASA-PS ≥ 3 (P < 0.001), CHADS2 score (P < 0.001), cervical atherosclerosis (P = 0.008), and right CCA-IMT (P = 0.007) were significantly associated with POD. However, multivariate logistic regression analyses showed older age (odds ratio [OR], 1.109; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.035-1.188; P = 0.03) and antiplatelet agent use (OR, 3.472; 95% CI 1.221-9.870; P = 0.020) to be significantly associated with POD.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a significant association between POD and the prevalence of cervical atherosclerosis using the univariate logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that older age and antiplatelet agent use were independently associated with POD.

Comparative study on the selection of drainage methods in posterior lumbar interbody fusion

OBJECTIVE

To compare and analyze the clinical effects of bilateral natural pressure drainage and negative pressure drainage after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) to provide a reference for selecting drainage methods after lumbar surgery.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study, 281 patients who underwent single-segment PLIF in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2020 and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study, including 132 males and 149 females, aged 22-85 years, with an average of (53.62 ± 11.23) years. According to different postoperative incision drainage methods determined by the random number table method before surgery, they were divided into the natural pressure drainage group and negative pressure drainage group, both of which were bilateral drainage. The general observation indexes and perioperative-related indexes were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS

There were 143 cases in the natural pressure drainage group and 138 cases in the negative pressure drainage group. There was no significant difference in age, gender, body mass index, disease type, blood pressure on the day of surgery, preoperative albumin, hemoglobin, platelet, prothrombin time, and intraoperative bleeding between the two groups (P > 0.05). The albumin on the first postoperative day in the natural pressure drainage group was higher than that in the negative pressure drainage group [(33.24 ± 3.52) vs. (32.17 ± 5.03), P < 0.05]; The hemoglobin on the first postoperative day in the natural pressure drainage group was higher than that in the negative pressure drainage group [(126.01 ± 15.03) vs. (115.19 ± 16.25), P < 0.01]; The drainage volume on the first postoperative day in the natural pressure drainage group was lower than that in the negative pressure drainage group [(93.25 ± 63.58) ml vs. (119.46 ± 54.48) ml, P < 0.01]; The total postoperative drainage volume in the natural pressure drainage group was lower than that in the negative pressure drainage group [(355.60 ± 189.69) ml vs. (434.37 ± 149.12) ml, P < 0.01]; The indwelling time of drainage tube in the natural pressure drainage group was lower than that in the negative pressure drainage group [(3.29 ± 1.17) d vs. (3.45 ± 0.97) d, P < 0.05]. There was no significant difference in platelet count on the first postoperative day, postoperative hospital stays, and complications (incision infection and hematoma) between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Bilateral natural pressure drainage and negative pressure drainage can achieve good drainage effects after PLIF, but patients with natural pressure drainage have less loss of albumin and hemoglobin, less drainage volume, and shorter drainage tube indwelling time, which is worthy of clinical application.

Calibration of the PREdiction of DELIRium in ICu Patients (PRE-DELIRIC) Score in a Cohort of Critically Ill Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

To predict delirium in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, the Prediction of Delirium in ICU Patients (PRE-DELIRIC) score may be used. This model may help nurses to predict delirium in high-risk ICU patients.

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were to externally validate the PRE-DELIRIC model and to identify predictive factors and outcomes for ICU delirium.

METHOD

All patients underwent delirium risk assessment by the PRE-DELIRIC model at admission. We used the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Check List to identify patients with delirium. The receiver operating characteristic curve measured discrimination capacity among patients with or without ICU delirium. Calibration ability was determined by slope and intercept.

RESULTS

The prevalence of ICU delirium was 55.8%. Discrimination capacity (Intensive Care Delirium Screening Check List score ≥4) expressed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.81 (95% confidence interval, 0.75-0.88), whereas sensitivity was 91.3% and specificity was 64.4%. The best cut-off was 27%, obtained by the max Youden index. Calibration of the model was adequate, with a slope of 1.03 and intercept of 8.14. The onset of ICU delirium was associated with an increase in ICU length of stay (P < .0001), higher ICU mortality (P = .008), increased duration of mechanical ventilation (P < .0001), and more prolonged respiratory weaning (P < .0001) compared with patients without delirium.

DISCUSSION

The PRE-DELIRIC score is a sensitive measure that may be useful in early detection of patients at high risk for developing delirium. The baseline PRE-DELIRIC score could be useful to trigger use of standardized protocols, including nonpharmacologic interventions.

High ASA Physical Status and Low Serum Uric Acid to Creatinine Ratio are Independent Risk Factors for Postoperative Delirium Among Older Adults Undergoing Urinary Calculi Surgery

Purpose

This study was to investigate the incidence and potential predictive factors for postoperative delirium (POD) in older people following urinary calculi surgery, and to establish the corresponding risk stratification score by the significant factors to predict the risk of POD.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the perioperative data of 195 patients aged 65 or older who underwent elective urinary calculi surgery between September 2020 and September 2022. POD was defined by chart-based method, and the serum uric acid to creatinine (SUA/Cr) ratio as well as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were calculated, respectively. Identification of the risk factors for POD was performed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Moreover, the risk stratification score was developed based on the regression coefficients of the associated variables.

Results

In 195 eligible patients following urinary calculi surgery, the median age was 69 (66-72) and 19 patients ultimately developed POD (9.7%). The results by univariate analysis showed that patients with advanced age, high American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status (≥3) and low SUA/Cr ratio (≤3.3) were more likely to develop POD, but dexmedetomidine can significantly decrease the risk of the occurrence of POD. The multivariate analysis further indicated that high ASA physical status (≥3) and low SUA/Cr ratio (≤3.3) were independently associated with POD, and the POD incidence could obviously be elevated with the increase of risk stratification score. Moreover, patients with delirium had longer hospital stays.

Conclusion

POD is frequent in geriatric patients following urinary calculi surgery (9.7%). The high ASA physical status (≥3) and low SUA/Cr ratio (≤3.3) were effective predictors of POD. The corresponding risk stratification based on these factors could be beneficial to determining patients who are susceptible to POD, and thus better preventing and reducing the occurrence of POD. However, large prospective studies are needed to confirm this finding.

Higher intraoperative mean arterial blood pressure does not reduce postoperative delirium in elderly patients following gastrointestinal surgery: A prospective randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to describe the relationship between the different levels of intraoperative mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal laparoscopic surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective controlled clinical trial enrolled 116 patients aged 65 to 85 years who underwent gastrointestinal laparoscopic surgery. These patients were randomized 1:1 to a MAP goal of 65 to 85 mmHg (L group) or an 86 to 100 mmHg (H group). The primary endpoint was the incidence of postoperative delirium, assessed twice daily with the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) during the first five postoperative days. Delirium severity was evaluated with the Delirium-O-Meter (D-O-M).

RESULTS

108 patients (L group n = 55, H group n = 53) were eventually included in intention-to-treat analyses. Postoperative delirium occurred in 18 (32.7%) of 55 cases of L group and in 15 (28.3%) of 53 cases of H group. The incidence of delirium subtypes between the two groups: hypoactive delirium 14.5% (8/55) vs 11.3% (6/53); hyperactive delirium 7.3% (4/55) vs 3.8% (2/53); mixed delirium 10.9% (6/55) vs 13.2% (7/53). However, the L group showed higher D-O-M scores of the first episode of delirium: 14.5 (Q1 = 12, Q3 = 18.5) vs 12 (Q1 = 10, Q3 = 14), which means the delirium is more severe.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with 65 to 85 mmHg, maintaining intraoperative MAP at 86-100 mmHg did not reduce the incidence of postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal laparoscopic surgery. However, the severity of delirium could be reduced and blood loss is a risk factor for postoperative delirium.

Risk Factors for Delirium after Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery under Total Intravenous Anesthesia in Parkinson's Disease Patients

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is associated with perioperative complications and mortality. Data on the risk factors for delirium after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) surgery is not clarified in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients receiving total intravenous anesthesia. We aimed to investigate the risk factors for delirium after STN-DBS surgery in PD patients.

METHODS

The retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 131 PD patients who underwent STN-DBS for the first time under total intravenous anesthesia from January to December 2021. Delirium assessments were performed twice daily for 7 days after surgery or until hospital discharge using the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factor of POD.

RESULTS

In total, 22 (16.8%) of 131 patients were in the POD group, while the other 109 patients were in the Non-POD group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative Mini-mental State Examination score [odds ratio = 0.855, 95% confidence interval = 0.768-0.951, p = 0.004] and unified Parkinson's disease rating scale part 3 (on state) score (odds ratio = 1.061, 95% confidence interval = 1.02-1.104, p = 0.003) were independently associated with delirium after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

In this retrospective cohort study of PD patients, a lower Mini-mental State Examination score and a higher unified Parkinson's disease rating scale part 3 (on state) score were the independent risk factors for delirium after STN-DBS surgery in PD patients under total intravenous anesthesia.

Effect of Preoperative Oral Saline Administration on Postoperative Delirium in Older Persons: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective

Postoperative delirium (POD) seriously affects recovery of older persons, increasing their mortality rate after surgery. We aimed to evaluate preoperative oral saline administration on postoperative delirium in older persons undergoing spinal decompression.

Design

A randomised controlled trial in a large tertiary hospital.

Setting and Participants

A total of 76 older persons (≧65 years old) undergoing spinal surgery from May 2020 to January 2021.

Methods

Older persons (65–83 years old) who underwent elective spinal canal decompression were randomly grouped into either the control group (n = 38) or the intervention group (n = 38). The control group was forbidden from drinking 8 hours prior to the operation while the intervention group was administered 5 mL·kg⁻¹ of normal saline 2 hours before anesthesia. Hemodynamic indicators, diagnostic biomarkers, preoperative mini-mental status scores, and intraoperative fluid dynamics were recorded at baseline and at various postoperative timepoints. Subjects were then scored for POD and postoperative pain.

Results

S100β protein was lowered in S₁ (F_S1 = 12.289, P <0.001) and S₂ (F_S2 = 12.440, P <0.001) in the intervention group while mean arterial blood pressure (F_T1= 42.997, P<0.001) and heart rate (F_T1= 8.974, P=0.004) were increased. The Ln c-reactive protein of the intervention group was lowered 1 day postoperatively (F_S2 = 6.305, P = 0.014). The incidence of postoperative delirium in the control group was higher than in the intervention group (27.8% vs 8.3%, χ² = 4.547, P = 0.033).

Conclusion

Preoperative oral saline can reduce the incidence of postoperative delirium in older persons by minimizing perioperative hemodynamic fluctuations and central nervous system damage.

Outcomes of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Postoperative delirium (POD) is an acute brain dysfunction that is frequently observed in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Increasing evidence indicates POD is related to higher mortality among cardiac surgical patients, but the results remain controversial. Moreover, a quantitative evaluation of the influence of POD on hospital days, intensive care unit (ICU) time, and mechanical ventilation (MV) time has not been performed.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between POD and outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery by a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Materials and methods

A total of 7 electronic databases (Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, Wan-fang database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched from January 1980 to July 20, 2021, with language restrictions to English and Chinese, to estimate the impact of the POD on outcome in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. The meta-analysis was registered with PROSPERO (Registration: CRD42021228767).

Results

Forty-two eligible studies with 19785 patients were identified. 3368 (17.0%) patients were in the delirium group and 16417 (83%) were in the non-delirium group. The meta-analysis showed that compared to patients without POD, patients with POD had 2.77-fold higher mortality (OR = 2.77, 95% CI 1.86-4.11, P < 0.001), 5.70-fold higher MV (>24h) rate (OR = 5.70, 95% CI 2.93-11.09, P < 0.001); and longer MV time (SMD = 0.83, 95% CI 0.57-1.09, P < 0.001), ICU time (SMD = 0.91, 95% CI 0.60-1.22, P < 0.001), hospital days (SMD = 0.62, 95% CI 0.48-0.76, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The synthesized evidence suggests that POD is causally related to the increased risk of mortality, prolonged length of ICU and hospital stay, and a longer duration of MV time. Future research should focus on the interventions for POD, to reduce the incidence.

Systematic review registration

[www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO], identifier [CRD42021228767].

Delirium in hospitalised adults with acute burns - A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Delirium is a potentially modifiable, acutely altered mental state, commonly characterised as a hospital-acquired complication. Studies of adult inpatients with acute burns with and without delirium identify causative risks related to the injury or treatment and outcomes related to the patient and healthcare system. We compare patients with and without delirium, providing a high-level quantitative synthesis of delirium risks and outcomes to inform guidelines and future research.

METHODS

A systematic review, meta-analysis and GRADE evaluation of risks and outcomes associated with delirium in adults with acute burns was conducted using PRISMA guidelines and PROSPERO protocol CRD42021283055. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess quality.

RESULTS

Investigators reviewed ten studies. ASA score ≥ 3, Total Body Surface Area Percentage (TBSA)> 10%, surgery done, ICU admission, hospital and also Intensive Care Unit (ICU) lengths of stay all had statistically significant associations with delirium, with low-very low certainty on GRADE evaluation. Limitations were heterogeneous studies, review methodology and study bias.

CONCLUSION

Delirium represents a significant risk to comorbid patients with burns that are hospitalised, receive ICU care, and surgery. Further research is indicated to precisely categorise delirium along the clinical journey to identify modifiable factors, prevention, and proactive therapy.

Mitigation of perioperative neurocognitive disorders: A holistic approach

William Morton introduced the world to ether anesthesia for use during surgery in the Bullfinch Building of the Massachusetts General Hospital on October 16, 1846. For nearly two centuries, the prevailing wisdom had been that the effects of general anesthetics were rapidly and fully reversible, with no apparent long-term adverse sequelae. Despite occasional concerns of a possible association between surgery and anesthesia with dementia since 1887 (Savage, 1887), our initial belief was robustly punctured following the publication in 1998 of the International Study of Post-Operative Cognitive Dysfunction [ISPOCD 1] study by Moller et al. (1998) in The Lancet, in which they demonstrated in a prospective fashion that there were in fact persistent adverse effects on neurocognitive function up to 3 months following surgery and that these effects were common. Since the publication of that landmark study, significant strides have been made in redefining the terminology describing cognitive dysfunction, identifying those patients most at risk, and establishing the underlying etiology of the condition, particularly with respect to the relative contributions of anesthesia and surgery. In 2018, the International Nomenclature Consensus Working Group proposed new nomenclature to standardize identification of and classify perioperative cognitive changes under the umbrella of perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) (Evered et al., 2018a). Since then, the new nomenclature has tried to describe post-surgical cognitive derangements within a unifying framework and has brought to light the need to standardize methodology in clinical studies and motivate such studies with hypotheses of PND pathogenesis. In this narrative review, we highlight the relevant literature regarding recent key developments in PND identification and management throughout the perioperative period. We provide an overview of the new nomenclature and its implications for interpreting risk factors identified by clinical association studies. We then describe current hypotheses for PND development, using data from clinical association studies and neurophysiologic data where appropriate. Finally, we offer broad clinical guidelines for mitigating PND in the perioperative period, highlighting the role of Brain Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (Brain-ERAS) protocols.

Preoperative Inflammatory Markers and the Risk of Postoperative Delirium in Patients Undergoing Lumbar Spinal Fusion Surgery

We investigated the possible associations between postoperative delirium (POD) and routinely available preoperative inflammatory markers in patients undergoing lumbar spinal fusion surgery (LSFS) to explore the role of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress as risk factors for POD. We analyzed 11 years’ worth of data from the Smart Clinical Data Warehouse. We evaluated whether preoperative inflammatory markers, such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and the CRP-to-albumin ratio (CAR), affected the development of POD in patients undergoing LSFS. Of the 3081 subjects included, 187 (7.4%) developed POD. A significant increase in NLR, MLR, and CAR levels was observed in POD patients (p < 0.001). A multivariate analysis showed that the second, third, and highest quartiles of the NLR were significantly associated with the development of POD (adjusted OR (95% CI): 2.28 (1.25−4.16], 2.48 (1.3−4.73], and 2.88 (1.39−5.96], respectively). A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the discriminative ability of the NLR, MLR, and CAR for predicting POD was low, but almost acceptable (AUC (95% CI): 0.60 (0.56−0.64], 0.61 (0.57−0.65], and 0.63 (0.59−0.67], respectively, p < 0.001). Increases in preoperative inflammatory markers, particularly the NLR, were associated with the development of POD, suggesting that a proinflammatory state is a potential pathophysiological mechanism of POD.

When Experiencing a Surgery: Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients’ Longitudinal Trajectories in Psychological Stress and Their Association with Quality of Recovery

Objective

Surgical treatment, particularly for gastrointestinal cancer, is a burdensome prospect for many patients. Psychological stress is a common complaint; however, little is known about its patterns in perioperative patients. This study aimed to identify distinct trajectories of perioperative stress and explore antecedent factors and hospitalization outcomes among different trajectories in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

Methods

A longitudinal study was conducted on 203 patients with gastrointestinal surgical cancer at a specialized oncology hospital in China. Psychological stress was assessed at five perioperative time points (1–3 days before surgery; 1–3 days, 4–6 days, 7–9 days after surgery, and before discharge). A growth mixture model was used to analyze the potential stress trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify the characteristics associated with different trajectories.

Results

Three stress trajectories were identified: recovery class (RC, 60.6%), chronic class (CC, 29.5%), and deterioration class (DC, 9.9%). Compared with CC, RC exhibited a shorter length of stay and better recovery quality, and was related to employment, low illness perception, and positive coping; DC reported lower recovery quality from 7 to 9 days after surgery to discharge and was associated with poor education level, history of surgery, stoma, smoking, and preoperative insomnia.

Conclusions

Most surgical patients were insulated from stress due to psychosocial resources, and thus displayed good recovery. However, many patients had moderate stress that did not improve or worsen over the perioperative period, which still needs to be screened and provided with early stress management.

Neural autoantibodies in delirium

BACKGROUND

Delirium in hospitalized and intensive care unit patients is an emerging condition due to its rapid-onset requiring fast action to mitigate a worse clinical outcome. Although several causes and conditions are known, the association between delirium and neural autoantibodies has often been neglected in cohort studies and reviews as causing delirium. The aim of our review is to delineate the occurrence and type of neural autoantibodies and to depict other biological markers of autoimmunity in relationship to delirium.

METHODS

For this narrative review Pubmed research was done to select articles about delirium and neural autoantibodies.

RESULTS

We can report on several cell-surface autoantibodies such as anti-α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors, anti-contactin associated protein 2, anti-Leucin rich glioma inactivated protein 1, anti-dipeptidyl-peptidase-like 6 protein, anti-glycine receptor and anti-myelin autoantibodies, as well as intracellular autoantibodies such as anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65), anti-CV2 and anti-Hu associated with delirium in patients. Our case reports and case series screening revealed that 20 of 63 patients with delirium presented neural autoantibodies, thus revealing a 32% frequency of autoantibody-associated delirium in delirium patients. Our main finding is that delirium's hyperactive form is associated with neural autoantibodies. Diagnosing delirium differentially is difficult, as in patients with delirium and GAD65 autoantibodies, as it must be distinguished from other psychopathological excitation states such as mania. We also describe autoimmune delirium's potential pathophysiologic pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

The existence of neural autoantibodies in delirious patients is scientifically and clinically highly relevant in its diagnosis, therapy, and pathogenesis. More large-scale studies should be conducted to evaluate their significance and prevalence in delirium.

High-Mobility Group Box-1 and Its Potential Role in Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders

Aseptic surgical trauma provokes the release of HMGB1, which engages the innate immune response after binding to pattern-recognition receptors on circulating bone marrow-derived monocytes (BM-DM). The initial systemic inflammation, together with HMGB1, disrupts the blood-brain barrier allowing penetration of CCR2-expressing BM-DMs into the hippocampus, attracted by the chemokine MCP-1 that is upregulated by HMGB1. Within the brain parenchyma quiescent microglia are activated and, together with the translocated BM-DMs, release proinflammatory cytokines that disrupt synaptic plasticity and hence memory formation and retention, resulting in postoperative cognitive decline (PCD). Neutralizing antibodies to HMGB1 prevents the inflammatory response to trauma and PCD.

Perioperative dexmedetomidine administration to prevent delirium in adults after non-cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of perioperative dexmedetomidine (DEX) administration for preventing delirium in adults after non-cardiac surgery.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

INTERVENTIONS

Perioperative administration of DEX to prevent delirium in adults following non-cardiac surgery.

MEASUREMENTS

The incidence of postoperative delirium (POD).

METHODS

The databases of PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Central Register were searched from inception to Mar 4, 2021 for all available RCTs that assessed DEX for POD in adults after non-cardiac surgery. Risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated for dichotomous data. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated for continuous data. Risk of bias was assessed using the second version of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for RCTs (RoB 2.0), and the level of certainty for main outcomes were assessed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology.

MAIN RESULTS

Thirteen studies, including the meta-analysis with a total of 4015 patients (DEX group: 2050 patients; placebo group: 1965 patients), showed that DEX significantly reduced the incidence of POD in adults after non-cardiac surgery compared with control group (RR: 0.60; 95%CI: 0.46 to 0.77, P = 0.0001, I² = 55%, GRADE = moderate). Meanwhile, there was a statistical difference by the subgroup analysis between the mean age ≥ 65 years group and the mean age<65 years group. There were no statistical differences in length of hospital stay following surgery (SMD: -0.36; 95%CI: -0.80 to 0.07, P = 0.1, I² = 97%, GRADE = low) and all-cause mortality rate (RR:0.57; 95%CI: 0.25 to 1.28, P < 0.17, I² = 0%, GRADE = moderate) compared with placebo group. However, Meta-analysis showed that DEX administration significantly resulted in intraoperative bradycardia when compared with placebo group (RR: 1.39; 95%CI: 1.14 to 1.69, P = 0.0009, I² = 0%, GRADE = high), and as well as intraoperative hypotension (RR: 1.25; 95%CI: 1.11 to 1.42, P = 0.0004, I² = 0%, GRADE = high).

CONCLUSION

This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that perioperative administration of DEX could significantly reduce the incidence of POD in patients elder than 65 years following non-cardiac surgery. However, there was no definite evidence that perioperative DEX could reduce the incidence of POD in patients younger than 65 years of age after non-cardiac surgery. In addition, perioperative DEX administration was associated with an elevated risk of bradycardia and hypotension.