Andrew D Ablett1, Kathryn McCarthy2, Ben Carter3, Lyndsay Pearce4, Michael Stechman5, Susan Moug6, Jonathan Hewitt7, Phyo K Myint1. 1. Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, UK. 2. Department of General Surgery, North Bristol NHS Trust, UK. 3. Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychology Psychiatry and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK. 4. Department of General Surgery, Manchester Royal Infirmary, UK. 5. Department of General Surgery, University Hospital of Wales, UK. 6. Department of General Surgery, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley; UK. 7. Department of Population Medicine, Cardiff University, UK. Electronic address: hewittj2@cardiff.ac.uk.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is prevalent in older surgical patients; however, the condition is greatly under-recognized, and outcomes associated with it are poorly understood. METHODS: This is a prospective multicenter cohort study of unselected consecutive older adults admitted to 5 emergency general surgical units across the United Kingdom participating in the Older Persons Surgical Outcomes Collaboration from 2013-2014. The effect of moderate cognitive impairment defined as ≤17, bottom quartile of Montreal Cognitive Assessment was examined using multivariate logistic regression models. Primary outcome measure was the relationship between a low Montreal Cognitive Assessment score (≤17) and mortality at 30 and 90 days. Secondary outcome measures included the association between having a low Montreal Cognitive Assessment and hospital length of stay. RESULTS: A total of 539 older patients admitted consecutively to 5 surgical units during the 2013 and 2014 study periods were included. The median age (interquartile range) was 76 years (70-82 years), the emergency operation rate was 13% (n = 72). The prevalence of cognitive impairment, using the traditional Montreal Cognitive Assessment cutoff score of ≤26, was 84.4% and, using the recently suggested cutoff score of ≤23, the prevalence was 61.0%. Multivariable analyses showed patients with a low Montreal Cognitive Assessment score (≤17) had a three-fold increase in 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio = 3.10; 95% confidence interval:1.19-8.11; P = .021) and an increased length of hospital stay (10 or more days; 1.80 [1.10-2.94; P = .02] and 14 or more days; 2.06 [1.17-3.61; P = .012]). CONCLUSION: We recommend a routine cognitive assessment in an emergency surgical setting whenever feasible to help identify patients at risk of poor outcomes.
BACKGROUND:Cognitive impairment is prevalent in older surgical patients; however, the condition is greatly under-recognized, and outcomes associated with it are poorly understood. METHODS: This is a prospective multicenter cohort study of unselected consecutive older adults admitted to 5 emergency general surgical units across the United Kingdom participating in the Older Persons Surgical Outcomes Collaboration from 2013-2014. The effect of moderate cognitive impairment defined as ≤17, bottom quartile of Montreal Cognitive Assessment was examined using multivariate logistic regression models. Primary outcome measure was the relationship between a low Montreal Cognitive Assessment score (≤17) and mortality at 30 and 90 days. Secondary outcome measures included the association between having a low Montreal Cognitive Assessment and hospital length of stay. RESULTS: A total of 539 older patients admitted consecutively to 5 surgical units during the 2013 and 2014 study periods were included. The median age (interquartile range) was 76 years (70-82 years), the emergency operation rate was 13% (n = 72). The prevalence of cognitive impairment, using the traditional Montreal Cognitive Assessment cutoff score of ≤26, was 84.4% and, using the recently suggested cutoff score of ≤23, the prevalence was 61.0%. Multivariable analyses showed patients with a low Montreal Cognitive Assessment score (≤17) had a three-fold increase in 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio = 3.10; 95% confidence interval:1.19-8.11; P = .021) and an increased length of hospital stay (10 or more days; 1.80 [1.10-2.94; P = .02] and 14 or more days; 2.06 [1.17-3.61; P = .012]). CONCLUSION: We recommend a routine cognitive assessment in an emergency surgical setting whenever feasible to help identify patients at risk of poor outcomes.