INSERM EPI-9930, Montpellier
Service d'Orhtopédie III, Hôpital Lapeyronie, Montpellier, France
Correspondence: Dr Marie L. Ancelin, INSERM EPI-9930, Epidemiology and Clinical Research in Nervous System Pathologies, CRLC Val d'Aurelle, Bat. Rech. Rdc, Parc Euromédecine, 34298 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
Declaration of interest None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.
Background Anaesthesia could provoke persistent alterations in specific cognitive domains in the elderly where ageing-related neuronal changes may exacerbate pharmacotoxic effects.
Aims To evaluate anaesthesia effects on the incidence of cognitive dysfunction after orthopaedic surgery in elderly patients.
Method A total of 140 patients over the age of 64 years completed a full range of computerised cognitive tests. The study takes into account effects of pre-operative cognitive dysfunction, depressive symptomatology and ability to perform activities of daily living.
Results Postoperative cognitive decline persisted for up to 3 months in 56% of subjects. Dysfunction was limited to verbal, visuo-spatial and semantic abilities and secondary and implicit memory. Age, low educational level, pre-operative cognitive impairment or depression are risk factors.
Conclusions Cognitive functions are not equally affected, type of impairment being determined by the risk factors described above and anaesthesia type.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
Y.-C. P. Arai, A. Ito, S. Hibino, S. Niwa, and W. Ueda Auricular Acupunctures are Effective for the Prevention of Postoperative Agitation in Old Patients Evid. Based Complement. Altern. Med., October 29, 2009; (2009) nep172v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Planel, A. Bretteville, L. Liu, L. Virag, A. L. Du, W. H. Yu, D. W. Dickson, R. A. Whittington, and K. E. Duff Acceleration and persistence of neurofibrillary pathology in a mouse model of tauopathy following anesthesia FASEB J, August 1, 2009; 23(8): 2595 - 2604. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Planel, P. Krishnamurthy, T. Miyasaka, L. Liu, M. Herman, A. Kumar, A. Bretteville, H. Y. Figueroa, W. Haung Yu, R. A. Whittington, et al. Anesthesia-Induced Hyperphosphorylation Detaches 3-Repeat Tau from Microtubules without Affecting Their Stability In Vivo J. Neurosci., November 26, 2008; 28(48): 12798 - 12807. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. A. Kofke, P. A. Blissitt, H. Rao, J. Wang, K. Addya, and J. Detre Remifentanil-Induced Cerebral Blood Flow Effects in Normal Humans: Dose and ApoE Genotype Anesth. Analg., July 1, 2007; 105(1): 167 - 175. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Planel, K. E. G. Richter, C. E. Nolan, J. E. Finley, L. Liu, Y. Wen, P. Krishnamurthy, M. Herman, L. Wang, J. B. Schachter, et al. Anesthesia Leads to Tau Hyperphosphorylation through Inhibition of Phosphatase Activity by Hypothermia J. Neurosci., March 21, 2007; 27(12): 3090 - 3097. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
H. K. Fong, L. P. Sands, and J. M. Leung The role of postoperative analgesia in delirium and cognitive decline in elderly patients: a systematic review. Anesth. Analg., April 1, 2006; 102(4): 1255 - 1266. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Casati, G. Fanelli, P. Pietropaoli, R. Proietti, R. Tufano, G. Danelli, G. Fierro, G. De Cosmo, G. Servillo, and on behalf of the Collaborative Italian Study Group Continuous Monitoring of Cerebral Oxygen Saturation in Elderly Patients Undergoing Major Abdominal Surgery Minimizes Brain Exposure to Potential Hypoxia Anesth. Analg., September 1, 2005; 101(3): 740 - 747. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
N. N. Butterfield, P. Graf, C. R. Ries, and B. A. MacLeod The Effect of Repeated Isoflurane Anesthesia on Spatial and Psychomotor Performance in Young and Aged Mice Anesth. Analg., May 1, 2004; 98(5): 1305 - 1311. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. Selwood and M. Orrell Long term cognitive dysfunction in older people after non-cardiac surgery BMJ, January 17, 2004; 328(7432): 120 - 121. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
V. Pignay-Demaria, F. Lesperance, R. G. Demaria, N. Frasure-Smith, and L. P. Perrault Depression and anxiety and outcomes of coronary artery bypass surgery Ann. Thorac. Surg., January 1, 2003; 75(1): 314 - 321. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Peisah Practical Geriatrics: Persistent Postoperative Cognitive Decline in an Elderly Woman With Preexisting Neuropathology Psychiatr Serv, March 1, 2002; 53(3): 277 - 279. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
Read all eLetters