THE EFFECT OF ANESTHESIA ON POSTOPERATIVE COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION.

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
• Neuroscience
• Public Health

Background:

• Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a significant concern following surgical procedures.
• Understanding the incidence and risk factors for POCD is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of POCD after general or regional anesthesia.
• To identify potential risk factors associated with POCD development.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 90 patients undergoing elective surgery.
• Cognitive function assessed using the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCa) test pre- and post-surgery.
• Data collected on demographics, comorbidities, COVID-19 history, and anesthesia type.

Main Results:

• POCD was observed in 42.2% of patients the day after surgery.
• Identified risk factors included lower education, previous COVID-19 infection, higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and general anesthesia.
• Older age showed a negative correlation with MoCa test results, independent of anesthesia type.

Conclusions:

• A substantial proportion of patients develop POCD, influenced by factors like education, CCI, COVID-19 history, and anesthesia type.
• Preoperative identification of at-risk patients allows for tailored anesthetic and postoperative care strategies.
• Age is a significant independent factor impacting cognitive outcomes post-surgery.