Trajectory of Cognitive Decline After Sepsis

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Gerontology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Cognitive impairment is a significant consequence of sepsis.
• Understanding long-term cognitive trajectories after sepsis is crucial for patient care and public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the long-term effects of sepsis hospitalization on cognitive function.
• To investigate trajectories of global cognitive function and specific cognitive domains after sepsis.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study of 21,823 participants (≥45 years) from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study.
• Sepsis hospitalization identified as a time-dependent exposure.
• Global cognitive function assessed using the Six-Item Screener; secondary outcomes included incident cognitive impairment, new learning, verbal memory, and executive function over a median 10-year follow-up.

Main Results:

• Sepsis hospitalization was associated with a faster long-term decline in global cognitive function (Six-Item Screener scores).
• Rates of incident cognitive impairment increased significantly per year following sepsis hospitalization.
• No significant acute changes or faster long-term declines were observed in new learning, verbal memory, or executive function immediately after sepsis.

Conclusions:

• Sepsis is associated with an accelerated long-term decline in global cognitive function.
• While sepsis impacts global cognition over time, acute effects on specific cognitive domains may be limited.