Age and other risk factors for neuropsychologic decline in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery

To evaluate if increasing age is a major determinant of long-term neuropsychologic (NP) dysfunction in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

Prospective cohort study.

A single university hospital.

Three hundred eighty-one patients undergoing elective CABG surgery.

Baseline preoperative and intraoperative characteristics were assessed for all patients. A comprehensive NP test battery was conducted preoperatively and at 1 month postoperatively.

Of the initial 381 patients, 319 (84%) returned for the 1-month visit. The overall incidence of an NP deficit was 21.6%. There was no significant difference seen with increasing age, although a trend was observed with highest NP deficit rate in the older than 65 age group. Other preoperative risk factors, including gender, education level, and preexisting diseases, were nonsignificant. Intraoperative variables were evaluated and revealed no significant differences across the age groups.

This cohort study did not find an increased incidence of NP deficits in elderly patients after CABG surgery. It has addressed the limitations of other studies, however, with (1) a comprehensive NP test battery, (2) longer-term follow-up, and (3) adequate sample size.