Preoperative Anxiety as a Predictor of Delirium in Cancer Patients: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Preoperative cognitive function as a risk factor of postoperative delirium in cancer surgeries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Postoperative delirium (POD) after cancer surgeries can be a result of chemo brain, anesthesia, surgery duration, and preoperative cognitive impairment. Although older age and preoperative cognitive dysfunction were reported to increase the risk of POD in noncardiac surgery, the role of preoperative cognitive function and age in the development of POD after all types of cancer surgeries is not clear. This study aimed to determine the relationship between preoperative cognitive function and likelihood of POD after cancer surgeries. This study used three main online databases and followed PRISMA guidelines. English language original articles that examined preoperative cognitive function before solid tumor cancer surgery and assessed patients for postoperative delirium were included. We employed the random effect meta-analysis method. The overall incidence of POD ranged from 8.7% to 50.9%. The confusion assessment method was the most common tool used to assess delirium. Mini-mental state evaluation (MMSE), Mini-cog, and Montreal cognitive assessment were the most common tools to assess cognitive function. The pooled (total observation = 4676) random effects SMD was estimated at -0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.30 to -0.31), indicating that lower MMSE scores before surgery are associated with a higher risk of POD. The pooled (total observation = 2668) random effects OR was estimated at 5.17 (95% CI: 2.51 to -10.63), indicating preoperative cognitive dysfunction can significantly predict the occurrence of POD after cancer surgeries. In conclusion, preoperative cognitive function is an independent and significant predictor of POD after solid tumor cancer surgeries.

Perioperative mental health intervention for depression and anxiety symptoms in older adults study protocol: design and methods for three linked randomised controlled trials

INTRODUCTION

Preoperative anxiety and depression symptoms among older surgical patients are associated with poor postoperative outcomes, yet evidence-based interventions for anxiety and depression have not been applied within this setting. We present a protocol for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in three surgical cohorts: cardiac, oncological and orthopaedic, investigating whether a perioperative mental health intervention, with psychological and pharmacological components, reduces perioperative symptoms of depression and anxiety in older surgical patients.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Adults ≥60 years undergoing cardiac, orthopaedic or oncological surgery will be enrolled in one of three-linked type 1 hybrid effectiveness/implementation RCTs that will be conducted in tandem with similar methods. In each trial, 100 participants will be randomised to a remotely delivered perioperative behavioural treatment incorporating principles of behavioural activation, compassion and care coordination, and medication optimisation, or enhanced usual care with mental health-related resources for this population. The primary outcome is change in depression and anxiety symptoms assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-Anxiety Depression Scale from baseline to 3 months post surgery. Other outcomes include quality of life, delirium, length of stay, falls, rehospitalisation, pain and implementation outcomes, including study and intervention reach, acceptability, feasibility and appropriateness, and patient experience with the intervention.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The trials have received ethics approval from the Washington University School of Medicine Institutional Review Board. Informed consent is required for participation in the trials. The results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals, presented at clinical research conferences and disseminated via the Center for Perioperative Mental Health website.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS

NCT05575128, NCT05685511, NCT05697835, pre-results.

Effects of short-term preoperative intranasal dexmedetomidine plus conventional treatment on delirium following cardiac surgery in patients with sleep disorders

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To assess whether preoperative dexmedetomidine (DEX) nasal drips combined with conventional treatment could mitigate the occurrence of postoperative delirium (POD).

DESIGN

A prospective randomised controlled study.

SETTING

The cardiac surgery intensive care unit (CSICU) and patient hospitalisation ward at a university hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 100 patients (aged ≥60 years) undergoing cardiac surgery at a university hospital between 7 January 2022, and 30 November 2022 met the eligibility criteria and were included in the study.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients with sleep disorders (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ≥8) were divided into two groups: Group A (the placebo group, n=50), receiving a short-term preoperative placebo combined with conventional treatment and Group B (the DEX group, n=50), receiving short-term preoperative DEX combined with conventional treatment.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

The Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU) was used for POD assessment in the CSICU, while the CAM was employed to assess delirium in the patient ward. Group B demonstrated a reduced incidence of POD compared to Group A (12% vs. 30%, odds ratio: 0.318, 95% confidence interval: 0.112-0.905, p=0.027).

CONCLUSION

The combined treatment involving DEX demonstrated a decreased incidence of POD in elderly individuals with sleep disorders undergoing cardiac surgery compared to the placebo combination treatment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL: www.chictr.org.cn with registration number ChiCTR 2100043968, registered on 06/03/2021.

Incidence of Postoperative Delirium in Cancer Patients After Head and Neck Surgery: A Proportional Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the incidence of postoperative delirium among cancer patients undergoing head and neck surgery and determine the differential incidence rates among patients undergoing different types of head and neck surgeries.

DATA SOURCES

The databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMBASE, and CINAHL were searched from inception till February 2023. Keywords based on the condition (delirium), context (postoperative), and population (head and neck cancer) were used as search terms.

REVIEW METHODS

The PRISMA and MOOSE reporting guidelines were followed. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists for cohort studies, case-control studies, and randomized controlled trials were used to evaluate the methodological quality. Data were pooled using a random-effects model, and the incidence with 95% confidence intervals was evaluated using the exact binomial method and Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation of proportions. I2 was used to indicate heterogeneity. Predefined subgroup analysis and Meta-regression, was performed to identify the factors affecting heterogeneity.

RESULTS

The summary incidence of postoperative delirium was 18.95% [95% confidence interval, 14.36%-24.00%] with between-study heterogeneity (I2  = 95.46%). The incidence of postoperative delirium in patients who underwent free flap reconstruction was 22.13%, which was higher than those of other types of surgeries. Meta-regression revealed that conducted in sample size (P = .007) of the included studies was the factors affecting heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS

The evidence on postoperative delirium incidence provided by the current Meta-analysis enables effective treatment planning.

Preoperative Anxiety Impact on Anesthetic and Analgesic Use

Anxiety is a complex emotional state that can arise from the anticipation of a threatening event, and preoperative anxiety is a common experience among adult patients undergoing surgery. In adult patients, the incidence of preoperative anxiety varies widely across different surgical groups, and it can result in a variety of psychophysiological responses and problems. Despite its negative impact, preoperative anxiety often receives insufficient attention in clinical practice. To improve pain management strategies, there is a need for further research on personalized approaches that take into account various factors that contribute to an individual's pain experience. These personalized approaches could involve developing tools to identify individuals who are more likely to experience increased pain and may require additional analgesia. To address this, regular assessments of anxiety levels should be conducted during preoperative visits, and counseling should be provided to patients with high levels of anxiety. Identifying and addressing preoperative anxiety in a timely manner can help reduce its incidence and potential consequences.

Impact of Prehabilitation on Postoperative Mortality and the Need for Non-Home Discharge in High-Risk Surgical Patients

BACKGROUND

The preoperative period is an important target for interventions (eg Surgical Prehabilitation and Readiness [SPAR]) that can improve postoperative outcomes for older patients with comorbidities.

STUDY DESIGN

To determine whether a preoperative multidisciplinary prehabilitation program (SPAR) reduces postoperative 30-day mortality and the need for non-home discharge in high-risk surgical patients, surgical patients enrolled in a prehabilitation program targeting physical activity, pulmonary function, nutrition, and mindfulness were compared with historical control patients from 1 institution's American College of Surgeons (ACS) NSQIP database. SPAR patients were propensity score-matched 1:3 to pre-SPAR NSQIP patients, and their outcomes were compared. The ACS NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator was used to compare observed-to-expected ratios for postoperative outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 246 patients were enrolled in SPAR. A 6-month compliance audit revealed that overall patient adherence to the SPAR program was 89%. At the time of analysis, 118 SPAR patients underwent surgery with 30 days of follow-up. Compared with pre-SPAR NSQIP patients (n = 4,028), SPAR patients were significantly older with worse functional status and more comorbidities. Compared with propensity score-matched pre-SPAR NSQIP patients, SPAR patients had significantly decreased 30-day mortality (0% vs 4.1%, p = 0.036) and decreased need for discharge to postacute care facilities (6.5% vs 15.9%, p = 0.014). Similarly, SPAR patients exhibited decreased observed 30-day mortality (observed-to-expected ratio 0.41) and need for discharge to a facility (observed-to-expected ratio 0.56) compared with their expected outcomes using the ACS NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator.

CONCLUSIONS

The SPAR program is safe and feasible and may reduce postoperative mortality and the need for discharge to postacute care facilities in high-risk surgical patients.

Association between preoperative on-site CCU visits and postoperative delirium in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication after cardiac surgery (CS), with symptoms like attention disorders and even delays patients' recovery.

AIMS

To evaluate the impact of preoperative on-site visits in the cardiac care unit (CCU) on POD after CS.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients admitted to the CCU with extracorporeal CS were included in the visiting or non-visiting group according to whether they were on visiting week. The visiting group received a preoperative visit from a nurse-led multidisciplinary visiting team (including CCU nurses and physicians) 1 week before surgery in addition to standard care. The non-visiting group received standard care like unstructured information from the CS team and anesthesiologists and so on. The Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU) and the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC) were used to evaluate the POD severity. The incidence, occurrence and duration of POD, as well as the CCU length of stay, postoperative mechanical ventilation duration and length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

A total of 735 participants (369 in the visited group and 366 in the unvisited group) were included in this study. Preoperative on-site visits were associated with a decreased POD incidence (odds ratio [OR]: 0.524, 95% CI: 0.336-0.817), an improved POD severity (OR: 0.578, 95% CI: 0.359-0.932) and a shortening POD duration (OR: 0.972, 95% CI: 0.951-0.994). There was a significant difference between the visiting and non-visiting groups in the mechanical ventilation duration (OR: 0.987, 95% CI: 0.978-0.996).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative on-site visits are associated with a reduction in the incidence, duration, and severity of POD, as well as the mechanical ventilation duration of patients.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study found that preoperative on-site visits were associated with the onset, duration, severity and duration of mechanical ventilation of POD. Although many factors influence the occurrence of POD, a multidisciplinary visiting team led by a nurse (including CCU nurses and physicians) can provide early nursing interventions through preoperative visits, better obtain postoperative cooperation from patients, establish a good nurse-patient relationship and provide better health services to patients. In a realistic CCU setting, nurses and physicians can act as educators, assessing patients before surgery, enhancing preoperative education, improving patient familiarity with the CCU environment and teaching sign language communication skills when patients are mechanically ventilated. These findings can therefore provide the basis for effective clinical care to prevent postoperative POD.

A revision of JPOS/JASCC clinical guidelines for delirium in adult cancer patients: a summary of recommendation statements

OBJECTIVE

The Japanese Psycho-Oncology Society and the Japanese Association of Supportive Care in Cancer have recently revised the clinical practice guidelines for delirium in adult cancer patients. This article reports the process of developing the revised guidelines and summarizes the recommendations made.

METHODS

The guidelines were developed in accordance with the Medical Information Network Distribution Service creation procedures. The guideline development group, consisting of multi-disciplinary members, created three new clinical questions: non-pharmacological intervention and antipsychotics for the prevention of delirium and trazodone for the management of delirium. In addition, systematic reviews of nine existing clinical questions have been updated. Two independent reviewers reviewed the proposed articles. The certainty of evidence and the strength of the recommendations were graded using the grading system developed by the Medical Information Network Distribution Service, following the concept of The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. The modified Delphi method was used to validate the recommended statements.

RESULTS

This article provides a compendium of the recommendations along with their rationales, as well as a short summary.

CONCLUSIONS

These revised guidelines will be useful for the prevention, assessment and management of delirium in adult cancer patients in Japan.

A multi-centre, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ramelteon for the prevention of postoperative delirium in elderly cancer patients: a study protocol for JORTC-PON2/J-SUPPORT2103/NCCH2103

Postoperative delirium is an important issue in cancer patients, affecting surgical outcomes and the quality of life. Ramelteon is a melatonin receptor agonist with high affinity for MT1 and MT2 receptors. Clinical trials and observational studies in Japan, including in surgical cancer patients, have shown efficacy of ramelteon in delirium prevention, with no serious safety concerns. However, clinical trials from the USA have reported conflicting results. A Japanese phase II study investigated the efficacy and safety of ramelteon for delirium prevention following gastrectomy in patients aged ≥75 years, with findings suggesting the feasibility of a phase III trial. The aim of this multi-centre, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled phase III trial is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of oral ramelteon for postoperative delirium prevention in cancer patients aged ≥65 years as advanced medical care. The trial protocol is described here.

Pro-Con Debate: Judicious Benzodiazepine Administration for Preoperative Anxiolysis in Older Patients

In this Pro-Con commentary article, we discuss the risks and benefits of administering preoperative benzodiazepines to older patients to decrease preoperative anxiety. The Pro side first focuses on the critical importance of treating preoperative anxiety and that benzodiazepines are the best tool to achieve that goal. The competing argument presented by the Con side is that myriad options exist to treat preoperative anxiety without simultaneously increasing the risk for devastating complications such as postoperative delirium. Both sides call for more high-quality investigations to determine the most effective strategies for decreasing preoperative anxiety in older adults while improving outcomes and reducing morbidity.

Preoperative Anxiety in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: What Contributes to Anxiety Levels in Patients Waiting for Surgical Intervention

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies. Currently, the only treatment is surgical resection, which contributes to significant preoperative anxiety, reducing quality of life and worsening surgical outcomes. To date, no standard preventive or therapeutic methods have been established for preoperative anxiety in pancreatic patients. This observational study aims to identify which patients' socio-demographic, clinical and psychological characteristics contribute more to preoperative anxiety and to identify which are their preoperative concerns. Preoperative anxiety was assessed the day before surgery in 104 selected cancer patients undergoing similar pancreatic major surgery, by administering the STAI-S (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form) and the APAIS (Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale). Our data suggest that patients with high STAI-S showed higher levels of APAIS and that major concerns were related to surgical aspects. Among psychological characteristics, depressive symptoms and trait anxiety appeared as risk factors for the development of preoperative anxiety. Findings support the utility of planning a specific psychological screening to identify patients who need more help, with the aim of offering support and preventing the development of state anxiety and surgery worries in the preoperative phase. This highlights also the importance of good communication by the surgeon on specific aspects related to the operation.

Data-driven categorization of postoperative delirium symptoms using unsupervised machine learning

Background

Phenotyping analysis that includes time course is useful for understanding the mechanisms and clinical management of postoperative delirium. However, postoperative delirium has not been fully phenotyped. Hypothesis-free categorization of heterogeneous symptoms may be useful for understanding the mechanisms underlying delirium, although evidence is currently lacking. Therefore, we aimed to explore the phenotypes of postoperative delirium following invasive cancer surgery using a data-driven approach with minimal prior knowledge.

Methods

We recruited patients who underwent elective invasive cancer resection. After surgery, participants completed 5 consecutive days of delirium assessments using the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 (DRS-R-98) severity scale. We categorized 65 (13 questionnaire items/day × 5 days) dimensional DRS-R-98 scores using unsupervised machine learning (K-means clustering) to derive a small set of grouped features representing distinct symptoms across all participants. We then reapplied K-means clustering to this set of grouped features to delineate multiple clusters of delirium symptoms.

Results

Participants were 286 patients, of whom 91 developed delirium defined according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, criteria. Following the first K-means clustering, we derived four grouped symptom features: (1) mixed motor, (2) cognitive and higher-order thinking domain with perceptual disturbance and thought content abnormalities, (3) acute and temporal response, and (4) sleep-wake cycle disturbance. Subsequent K-means clustering permitted classification of participants into seven subgroups: (i) cognitive and higher-order thinking domain dominant delirium, (ii) prolonged delirium, (iii) acute and brief delirium, (iv) subsyndromal delirium-enriched, (v) subsyndromal delirium-enriched with insomnia, (vi) insomnia, and (vii) fit.

Conclusion

We found that patients who have undergone invasive cancer resection can be delineated using unsupervised machine learning into three delirium clusters, two subsyndromal delirium clusters, and an insomnia cluster. Validation of clusters and research into the pathophysiology underlying each cluster will help to elucidate the mechanisms of postoperative delirium after invasive cancer surgery.

Association between preoperative anxiety and postoperative delirium in older patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common postoperative complication associated with multiple adverse consequences on patient outcomes and higher medical expenses. Preoperative anxiety has been suggested as a possible precipitating factor for the development of POD. As such, we aimed to explore the association between preoperative anxiety and POD in older surgical patients.

METHODS

Electronic databases including MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE (via Embase.com), Web of Science Core Collection, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL Complete; via EBSCOhost) and clinical trial registries were systematically searched to identify prospective studies examining preoperative anxiety as a risk factor for POD in older surgical patients. We used Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Cohort Studies to assess the quality of included studies. The association between preoperative anxiety and POD was summarized with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using DerSimonian-Laird random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Eleven studies were included (1691 participants; mean age ranging between 63.1-82.3 years). Five studies used a theoretical definition for preoperative anxiety, with the Anxiety subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A) as the instrument being most often used. When using dichotomized measures and within the HADS-A subgroup analysis, preoperative anxiety was significantly associated with POD (OR = 2.17, 95%CI: 1.01-4.68, I² = 54%, Tau² = 0.4, n = 5; OR = 3.23, 95%CI: 1.70-6.13, I² = 0, Tau² = 0, n = 4; respectively). No association was observed when using continuous measurements (OR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.93-1.05, I² = 0, Tau² = 0, n = 4), nor in the subgroup analysis of STAI-6 (six-item version of state scale of Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, OR = 1.07, 95%CI: 0.93-1.24, I² = 0, Tau² = 0, n = 2). We found the overall quality of included studies to be moderate to good.

CONCLUSIONS

An unclear association between preoperative anxiety and POD in older surgical patients was found in our study. Given the ambiguity in conceptualization and measurement instruments used for preoperative anxiety, more research is warranted in which a greater emphasis should be placed on how preoperative anxiety is operationalized and measured.

Correlation and influencing factors of preoperative anxiety, postoperative pain, and delirium in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery

BACKGROUND

The correlation and influencing factors of preoperative anxiety, postoperative pain, and delirium in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery were explored with the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scale, 10-point Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and Confusion Assessment Method Chinese Reversion (CAM-CR) scale.

METHODS

A total of 120 patients aged 65 years old who receiving gastrointestinal cancer surgery were enrolled in the study. Perioperative anxiety, pain, and delirium were assessed by the BAI scale, VAS scale, and CAM-CR scale, respectively. The correlation and influencing factors of preoperative high anxiety, postoperative high pain, and postoperative delirium were analyzed.

RESULTS

Preoperative high anxiety had a moderate positive correlation with postoperative high pain (P < 0.001, r = 0.410), and had a weak positive correlation with postoperative delirium (P = 0.005, r = 0.281). postoperative high pain had a weak positive correlation with postoperative delirium (P = 0.017, r = 0.236). Type of cancer and surgical approach were considered to be independent risk factors of preoperative high anxiety (P = 0.006 and P = 0.021). Preoperative high anxiety was considered to be an independent risk factor of postoperative high pain (P< 0.001). Age and preoperative high anxiety were considered to be independent risk factors of postoperative delirium (P< 0.001 and P = 0.010).

CONCLUSIONS

Elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery had a higher incidence of preoperative anxiety, as well as first-day postoperative pain and first-day postoperative delirium. Factors such as type of cancer, surgical approach and preoperative anxiety had been identified as influencing preoperative anxiety levels; preoperative anxiety had been linked to postoperative pain; and age and preoperative anxiety have been identified as influencing factors of postoperative delirium.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

hiCTR2000032008, 17/04/2020, Title: "Effects of different analgesic methods on postoperative recovery of elderly patients with digestive tract tumor". Website: https://www.chictr.ogr.cn .

Preoperative Risk Factors Associated with Increased Incidence of Postoperative Delirium: Systematic Review of Qualified Clinical Studies

Postoperative delirium (POD) is an acute alteration of mental state, characterized by reduced awareness and attention, occurring up to five postoperative days after recovery from anesthesia. Several original studies and reviews have identified possible perioperative POD risk factors; however, there is no comprehensive review of the preoperative risk factors in patients diagnosed with POD using only validated diagnostic scales. The aim of this systematic review was to report the preoperative risk factors associated with an increased incidence of POD in patients undergoing non-cardiac and non-brain surgery. The reviewed studies included original research papers that used at least one validated diagnostic scale to identify POD occurrence for more than 24 h. A total of 6475 references were retrieved from the database search, with only 260 of them being suitable for further review. Out of the 260 reviewed studies, only 165 that used a validated POD scale reported one or more preoperative risk factors. Forty-one risk factors were identified, with various levels of statistical significance. The extracted risk factors could serve as a preoperative POD risk assessment workup. Future studies dedicated to the further evaluation of the specific preoperative risk factors' contributions to POD could help with the development of a weighted screening tool.

Predisposing and Precipitating Factors Associated With Delirium: A Systematic Review

IMPORTANCE

Despite discrete etiologies leading to delirium, it is treated as a common end point in hospital and in clinical trials, and delirium research may be hampered by the attempt to treat all instances of delirium similarly, leaving delirium management as an unmet need. An individualized approach based on unique patterns of delirium pathophysiology, as reflected in predisposing factors and precipitants, may be necessary, but there exists no accepted method of grouping delirium into distinct etiologic subgroups.

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review to identify potential predisposing and precipitating factors associated with delirium in adult patients agnostic to setting.

EVIDENCE REVIEW

A literature search was performed of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO from database inception to December 2021 using search Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms consciousness disorders, confusion, causality, and disease susceptibility, with constraints of cohort or case-control studies. Two reviewers selected studies that met the following criteria for inclusion: published in English, prospective cohort or case-control study, at least 50 participants, delirium assessment in person by a physician or trained research personnel using a reference standard, and results including a multivariable model to identify independent factors associated with delirium.

FINDINGS

A total of 315 studies were included with a mean (SD) Newcastle-Ottawa Scale score of 8.3 (0.8) out of 9. Across 101 144 patients (50 006 [50.0%] male and 49 766 [49.1%] female patients) represented (24 015 with delirium), studies reported 33 predisposing and 112 precipitating factors associated with delirium. There was a diversity of factors associated with delirium, with substantial physiological heterogeneity.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this systematic review, a comprehensive list of potential predisposing and precipitating factors associated with delirium was found across all clinical settings. These findings may be used to inform more precise study of delirium's heterogeneous pathophysiology and treatment.

4,300 steps per day prior to surgery are associated with improved outcomes after pancreatectomy

BACKGROUND

Decreased preoperative physical fitness and low physical activity have been associated with preoperative functional reserve and surgical complications. We sought to evaluate daily step count as a measure of physical activity and its relationship with post-pancreatectomy outcomes.

METHODS

Patients undergoing pancreatectomy were given a remote telemonitoring device to measure their preoperative levels of physical activity. Patient activity, demographics, and perioperative outcomes were collected and compared in univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

73 patients were included. 45 (61.6%) patients developed complications, with 17 (23.3%) of those patients developing severe complications. These patients walked 3437.8 (SD 1976.7) average daily steps, compared to 5918.8 (SD 2851.1) in patients without severe complications (p < 0.001). In logistic regression analysis, patients who walked less than 4274.5 steps had significantly higher odds of severe complications (OR = 7.5 (CI 2.1, 26.8), p = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Average daily steps below 4274.5 before surgery are associated with severe complications after pancreatectomy. Preoperative physical activity levels may represent a modifiable target for prehabilitation protocols.

Psychotherapy: A tool to prevent postoperative delirium?

The value of psychotherapy in surgical patients suffering from postoperative delirium is unclear. Options for the treatment of established postoperative delirium are few; therapy largely relies on the avoidance of postoperative delirium facilitating factors, like specific drugs and environmental factors in the perioperative setting. Established medical therapies' efficacy in terms of decreasing incidence of postoperative delirium is very low. The aim of this project is to suggest new therapeutic options in the form of cognitive behavioural therapy as a possible preventive and psychotherapeutic treatment of postoperative delirium. Life expectancy in developed countries increases worldwide and both the need for surgical treatment and the probability of postoperative delirium occurrence increase with age. Due to the necessity of addressing the individual's negative consequences of postoperative delirium and to optimise socioeconomical needs, new therapeutic options for the treatment of postoperative delirium are desperately needed.

Preoperative anxiety as an independent predictor of postoperative delirium in older patients undergoing elective surgery for lumbar disc herniation

BACKGROUND

Anxiety is common in older patients suffering from lumbar disc herniation. Postoperative delirium is related to poor prognosis. But the relationship between preoperative anxiety and postoperative delirium among older patients undergoing elective surgery for lumbar disc herniation is not clear.

AIMS

The study aimed to investigate if preoperative anxiety is an independent risk factor of postoperative delirium among older patients undergoing elective surgery for lumbar disc herniation.

METHODS

The medical records of 1290 patients undergoing elective surgery for lumbar disc herniation at a single institution from 2016 through 2021 were reviewed. Of 863 eligible patients, 225 (26.1%) patients had been diagnosed with anxiety by a board-certified psychiatrist and constituted the Anxiety group; the remaining 638 patients constituted the no-anxiety group. The demographics, baseline, operative variable and postoperative complications were collected and compared between the two groups. The primary outcome of this study was the incidence of delirium, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition, during a hospital stay after surgery for lumbar disc herniation. The relationship between anxiety and postoperative delirium was determined through multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The demographics and comorbidity were similar between the two groups, except for age, sex, alcohol use and cerebrovascular disease. The operative variables were different between the two groups. The incidence of postoperative complications other than postoperative delirium was also similar between the two groups. In total, 86 patients (9.97%) had an episode of postoperative delirium, with anxiety group patients experiencing approximately a twofold higher rate (15.6% vs 7.99%). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, anxiety was an independent predictor of postoperative delirium in older patients undergoing elective surgery for lumbar disc herniation (OR 2.228, 95% CI 1.494-3.416, p = 0.009).

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that anxiety is an independent risk factor of postoperative delirium among older patients undergoing elective surgery for lumbar disc herniation. Preoperative anxiety assessment can help to identify older patients at high risk of postoperative delirium and facilitate perioperative management of older patients undergoing elective surgery for lumbar disc herniation.

Preoperative Anxiety is Associated With Postoperative Complications in Vascular Surgery: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Preoperative anxiety is associated with increased morbidity and/or mortality in surgical patients. This study investigated the incidence, predictors, and association of preoperative anxiety with postoperative complications in vascular surgery.

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing aortic, carotid, and peripheral artery surgery, under general and regional anesthesia, from February until October 2019 were included in a cross-sectional study. Anesthesiologists assessed preoperative anxiety using a validated Serbian version of the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale. Patients were divided into groups with low/high anxiety, both anesthesia- and surgery-related. Statistical analysis included multivariate linear logistic regression and point-biserial correlation.

RESULTS

Of 402 patients interviewed, 16 were excluded and one patient refused to participate (response rate 99.7%). Out of 385 patients included (age range 39-86 years), 62.3% had previous surgery. High-level anesthesia- and surgery-related anxieties were present in 31.2 and 43.4% of patients, respectively. Independent predictors of high-level anesthesia-related anxiety were having no children (OR = 0.443, 95% CI: 0.239-0.821, p = 0.01), personal bad experiences with anesthesia (OR = 2.294, 95% CI: 1.043-5.045, p = 0.039), and time since diagnosis for ≥ 4 months (OR = 1.634, 95% CI: 1.023-5.983, p = 0.04). The female sex independently predicted high-level surgery-related preoperative anxiety (OR = 2.387, 95% CI: 1.432-3.979, p = 0.001). High-level anesthesia-related anxiety correlated with postoperative mental disorders (r_pb = 0.193, p = 0.001) and pulmonary complications (r_pb = 0.104, p = 0.042). Postoperative nausea (r_pb = 0.111, p = 0.03) and postoperative mental disorders (r_pb = 0.160, p = 0.002) correlated with high-level surgery-related preoperative anxiety.

CONCLUSIONS

Since preoperative anxiety affects the postoperative course and almost every third patient experiences anxiety preoperatively, routine screening might be recommended in vascular surgery.

The effect of preoperative patient-reported anxiety on morbidity and mortality outcomes in patients undergoing major general surgery

Excessive levels of anxiety may negatively influence treatment outcomes and likely increase patient suffering. We designed a prospective observational study to assess whether preoperative patient-reported anxiety affects major general surgery outcomes. We prospectively administered the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to measure preoperative anxiety in patients awaiting major general surgical procedures. Patients were grouped by STAI scores according to established cutoffs: no anxiety (STAI < 40) and anxiety (STAI ≥ 40). Four hundred patients completed the questionnaires and underwent surgery, with an average interval from questionnaire completion to surgery of 4 days. Applying a state anxiety (STAI-S) score ≥ 40 as a reference point, the prevalence of patient-reported anxiety was 60.5% (241 of 400). The mean STAI-S score for these patients was 50.48 ± 7.77. The mean age of the entire cohort was 58.5 ± 14.12 years. The majority of participants were male (53.8%). The distribution of sex by anxiety status showed that 53.5% of women and 46.5% of men had anxiety (p = 0.003). In the entire cohort, postoperative complications occurred in 23.9% and 28.6% of the no anxiety and anxiety groups, respectively. The difference was nonsignificant. In a subgroup of patients who underwent high-risk complex procedures (N = 221), however, postoperative complications occurred in 31.4% and 45.2% of the no anxiety and anxiety groups, respectively. This difference was significant at p = 0.004. Of the patients who were anxious, 3.3% (8 of 241) died during hospitalization following surgery, compared with 4.4% of the patients (7 of 159) who were not anxious (p = 0.577). In the multivariable analysis adjusted for covariates and based on the results of subgroup analysis, preoperative anxiety assessed by the STAIS score was associated with morbidity (OR 2.12, CI 1.14–3.96; p = 0.018) but not mortality. The majority of enrolled patients in this study were classified as having high- to very high-level preoperative clinical anxiety, and we found a significant quantitative effect of patient-reported anxiety on morbidity but not mortality after surgery.

Adhésion et implémentation d’un programme de cohérence cardiaque visant à réduire l’anxiété de patients opérés pour une carcinose péritonéale : étude pilote randomisée

Objectif : Évaluer l’implémentation d’une pratique quotidienne de cohérence cardiaque chez des patients opérés pour une carcinose péritonéale.

Matériel et méthode : Étude pilote monocentrique, ouverte, contrôlée, randomisée non comparative, incluant 20 patients en soins courants vs 40 patients formés à la cohérence cardiaque avec biofeedback et guide respiratoire pour une pratique au domicile enregistrée.

Résultats attendus : Adhésion satisfaisante au programme, pouvant caractériser les éléments favorisant son implémentation avant et après chirurgie et évaluation de son impact sur l’anxiété.

Perspectives : Efficacité à déterminer pour transférer ce soin de support.

Postoperative delirium in older patients with cancer: the role of psychological distress and social support

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Delirium is a common and important adverse event in the perioperative period. Older people with cancer are at significant risk, and outcomes are poor. There is increasing awareness of the effect of psychological distress and social support on pathogenesis and outcomes of delirium in this setting. This review aimed to describe recent research in this evolving area.

RECENT FINDINGS

Across six recent studies of postoperative delirium in older people with cancer, delirium incidence ranged from 8 to 19.8%. Poor social support and high levels of distress are implicated in the development of postoperative delirium. Distress can be related to negative emotional reaction to diagnosis, preconception of cancer diagnosis and interactions with the healthcare system. Prevention of delirium is key, and multicomponent interventions show evidence of effectiveness. 'Emotional distress' has been included in a new core outcome set for studies of interventions to prevent and/or treat delirium.

SUMMARY

Postoperative delirium in older adults with cancer is common and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Psychological distress and social support play an important role, but there are many unmet research needs in this area.

Outcomes of a Delirium Prevention Program in Older Persons After Elective Surgery: A Stepped-Wedge Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Delirium significantly worsens elective surgery outcomes and costs. Delirium risk is highest in elderly populations, whose surgical health care resource consumption (50%) exceeds their demographic proportion (15% to 18%) in high-resource countries. Effective nonpharmacologic delirium prevention could safely improve care in these vulnerable patients, but data from procedure-specific studies are insufficiently compelling to drive changes in practice. Delirium prevention approaches applicable to different surgical settings remain unexplored.

Objective

To examine whether a multifaceted prevention intervention is effective in reducing postoperative delirium incidence and prevalence after various major surgical procedures.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial recruited 1470 patients 70 years and older undergoing elective orthopedic, general, or cardiac surgery from November 2017 to April 2019 from 5 German tertiary medical centers. Data were analyzed from December 2019 to July 2021.

Interventions

First, structured delirium education was provided to clinical caregivers at each site. Then, the study delirium prevention team assessed patient delirium risk factors and symptoms daily. Prevention was tailored to individual patient needs and could include: cognitive, motor, and sensory stimulation; meal companionship; accompaniment during diagnostic procedures; stress relaxation; and sleep promotion.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Postoperative delirium incidence and duration.

Results

Of 1470 included patients, 763 (51.9%) were male, and the median (IQR) age was 77 (74-81) years. Overall, the intervention reduced postoperative delirium incidence (odds ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.77-0.98; P = .02) and percentage of days with delirium (intervention, 5.3%; control, 6.9%; P = .03). The effect was significant in patients undergoing orthopedic or abdominal surgery (odds ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.35-0.99; P = .047) but not cardiac surgery (odds ratio, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.70-1.99; P = .54).

Conclusions and Relevance

This multifaceted multidisciplinary prevention intervention reduced postoperative delirium occurrence and days with delirium in older patients undergoing different elective surgical procedures but not cardiac procedures. These results suggest implementing this delirium prevention program will improve care and outcomes in older patients undergoing elective general and orthopedic procedures.

Effects of the Kampo medicine Yokukansan for perioperative anxiety and postoperative pain in women undergoing breast surgery: A randomized, controlled trial

Yokukansan (YKS) is a traditional Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine prescribed for anxiety. In this randomized controlled trial, we compared the subjective assessment of anxiety using questionnaires and its objective assessment using salivary alpha-amylase concentrations in YKS and control (CNT) groups of women undergoing breast surgery. The trial was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (registration number: UMIN000028998), and the investigators were blinded to drug administration. One hundred patients who underwent breast cancer surgery were allocated to either the YKS or the CNT group. Finally, 35 and 42 patients in the YKS and CNT groups were analyzed, respectively. The YKS group received two 2.5 g doses of the medication before sleeping on the night before surgery and 2 h before inducing anesthesia, while the CNT group did not receive medication preoperatively. Patients answered two questionnaires, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, pre-and postoperatively as subjective anxiety assessments. As an objective anxiety indicator, salivary alpha-amylase levels were measured the day before, directly before, and the day after surgery (T3). In the YKS group, salivary alpha-amylase scores directly before operation were significantly lower than those on the day before surgery and at one day postoperatively (F [2,150] = 3.76, p = 0.03). Moreover, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait scores were significantly more improved postoperatively in the YKS group than in the CNT group (difference in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety: YKS, mean -2.77, 95% confidence interval [-1.48 --4.06], p <0.001, and CNT, -1.43 [-0.25--2.61], p = 0.011; and difference in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory: YKS group, -4.23 [-6.95--1.51], p = 0.0004; and CNT group, 0.12 [-2.36-2.60], p = 0.92). No side effects were associated with YKS. YKS may reduce perioperative anxiety in patients undergoing surface surgery.

Preoperative Anxiety Levels in Surgical Patients: A Comparison of Three Different Scale Scores

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to compare Anxiety Specific to Surgery Questionnaire (ASSQ) with Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) in the assessment of preoperative anxiety level and to evaluate the fears associated with surgery and anesthesia in surgical patients.

DESIGN

This is descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional study.

METHOD

The study sample included 507 surgical patients in four surgery wards who underwent elective surgery. All the data were collected using The Descriptive Characteristics and Clinical Information Form, STAI, APAIS and ASSQ.

FINDINGS

A majority (70.8%) of the participants had fears associated with surgery and anesthesia and nearly half of them had a moderate level of preoperative anxiety. Anxiety prevalence was 46.4% according to the APAIS, 44.4% according to STAI and 49.3% according to ASSQ. Women, participants with no primary school education, participants undergoing major surgery and general anesthesia who did not have knowledge about the surgical procedure, and surgical complications had higher anxiety according to three scale scores.

CONCLUSION

Nearly half of the participants had moderate/high preoperative anxiety, there were consistent results among the scales and the tools were interchangeable to evaluate the preoperative anxiety level in the surgical patients.

Research status and prospect of peri-extubation delirium

Peri-extubation delirium is a clinical syndrome caused by multiple factors, and it is not a simple disease. It occurs within a period of time after extubation when the effect of general anesthesia is reduced. And the incidence is different in disparate populations, and it is more common in elderly patients. Current studies have shown that iatrogenic factors and patients' own factors are the main risk factors for the syndrome. Early identification of risk factors can help clinicians make early diagnosis. The earlier the diagnosis and treatment begin, the more significantly the prognosis of patients can be improved. At present, the treatment of perioperative delirium is based on non-drug therapy, supplemented by drug therapy. This review will introduce in detail the risk factors, population status and prevention measures of delirium during peri-extubation, and look forward to the new research direction in the future.

Processed Multiparameter Electroencephalogram-Guided General Anesthesia Management Can Reduce Postoperative Delirium Following Carotid Endarterectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for severe carotid stenosis are vulnerable to postoperative delirium, a complication frequently associated with poor outcome. This study investigated the impact of processed electroencephalogram (EEG)-guided anesthesia management on the incidence of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing CEA.

Methods: This single-center, prospective, randomized clinical trial on 255 patients receiving CEA under general anesthesia compared the outcomes of patient state index (PSI) monitoring [SEDLine Brain Function Monitor (Masimo, Inc, Irvine, CA)] (standard group, n = 128) with PSI combined with density spectral array(DSA) -guided monitoring (intervention group, n = 127) to reduce the risk of intraoperative EEG burst suppression. All patients were monitored by continuous transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to avoid perioperative cerebral hypoperfusion or hyperperfusion. According to the surgical process, EEG suppression time was calculated separately for three stages: S₁ (from anesthesia induction to carotid artery clamping), S₂ (from clamping to declamping), and S₃ (from declamping to the end of surgery). The primary outcome was incidence of postoperative delirium according to the Confusion Assessment Method algorithm during the first 3 days post-surgery, and secondary outcomes were other neurologic complications and length of hospital stay.

Results: There were no episodes of cerebral hypoperfusion or hyperperfusion according to TCD and NIRS monitoring in either group during surgery. The incidence of postoperative delirium within 3 days post-surgery was significantly lower in the intervention group than the standard group (7.87 vs. 28.91%, P < 0.01). In the intervention group, the total EEG suppression time and the EEG suppression time during S2 and S3 were shorter (Total, 0 “0” vs. 0 “1.17” min, P = 0.04; S₂, 0 “0” vs. 0 “0.1” min, P < 0.01; S₃, 0 “0” vs. 0 “0” min, P = 0.02). There were no group differences in incidence of neurologic complications and length of postoperative hospital stay.

Conclusion: Processed electroencephalogram-guided general anesthesia management, consisting of PSI combined with DSA monitoring, can significantly reduce the risk of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing CEA. Patients, especially those exhibiting hemodynamic fluctuations or receiving surgical procedures that disrupt cerebral perfusion, may benefit from the monitoring of multiple EEG parameters during surgery.

Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03622515.

Effects of Preoperative Anxiety on Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients Undergoing Elective Orthopedic Surgery: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Background

Postoperative delirium (POD) is common and has negative effects on elderly patients. There is a critical need to identify patients at high risk of POD so that providers can better offer targeted interventions in the preoperative and intraoperative periods. We aimed to characterize the prevalence of preoperative anxiety and investigate whether preoperative anxiety predicted the onset of POD in elderly patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery.

Methods

We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of elderly patients (aged 65 years or older) undergoing elective orthopedic surgery. Preoperative anxiety was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A), with clinically significant values defined as HADS-A>7. POD was diagnosed according to the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) criteria on the 5 postoperative days. To determine the independent risk factors for POD, multivariable logistic regression was conducted, including those variables with a p-value <0.05 at univariate analysis.

Results

There were 263 patients included in the study. Seventy-three (27.8%) patients were diagnosed to be POD. Median duration of delirium was 2 days. Forty (15.2%) patients were assessed to experience preoperative anxiety. The occurrence of preoperative anxiety in total hip arthroplasty (THA), proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA), and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was 12.5%, 16.1%, and 19.5%, respectively. Based on multivariable analysis, only age (odds ratio [OR]= 1.099, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.013–1.192; P=0.023), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) (OR= 0.603, 95% CI: 0.432–0.842; P=0.003) and preoperative anxiety (OR= 3.119, 95% CI: 1.144–8.500; P=0.026) were independently associated with POD.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the current study reveals that preoperative anxiety helps to predict the risk of POD in elderly patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery. Relieving preoperative anxiety could be a new target for preventive interventions to reduce POD.

Preoperative anxiety predicted the incidence of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty: a prospective cohort study

Background

Delirium was characterized with a series of symptoms of a sudden onset of disturbances in attention, a loss in memory loss and defects in other cognitive abilities that were also appeared in the syndrome of anxiety. Even though there are overlapped clinical symptoms existed in anxiety and delirium, the relationship between anxiety and delirium was still unclear. The propose of this study was to investigated the effect of preoperative anxiety on postoperative delirium.

Methods

Three hundred and seventy-two adults undergoing total hip arthroplasty were enrolled from October 2019 to May 2020 in the study. The preoperative anxiety was measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A). The participants were allocated into anxiety group (HADS-A≧7) and non-anxiety group (HADS-A < 7). The primary outcome was the incidence of the postoperative delirium assessed with the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). The secondary outcomes were the duration and the severity of delirium evaluated with the Memorial Delirium assessment Scale (MDAS). The risks of delirium were also evaluated with logistic regression analysis.

Results

There were 325 patients enrolled in the end, 95 of whom met the criteria for anxiety. The incidence of delirium was 17.8% in all participants. The patients with anxiety had a higher incidence of delirium than the non-anxiety patients (25.3% vs. 14.8%, odds ratio (OR) = 0.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.92–0.29, p = 0.025). However, no significant differences were found in the duration and the severity of the delirium between the above two groups. The age, alcohol abuse, history of stroke, scores of the HADS-A, and education level were considered to be predictors of delirium.

Conclusions

The preoperative anxiety predicted the incidence of the postoperative delirium in total hip arthroplasty patients. The related intervention may be a good point for delirium prophylaxis.

Trial registration

It was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chictr.org.cn) with the name of “the effect of preoperative anxiety on the postoperative cognitive function” (ChiCTR1900026054) at September 19, 2019.

Yokukansan for Treatment of Preoperative Anxiety and Prevention of Postoperative Delirium in Cancer Patients Undergoing Highly Invasive Surgery. J-SUPPORT 1605 (ProD Study): A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

CONTEXT

No standard preventive or therapeutic methods have been established for preoperative anxiety and postoperative delirium in patients with cancer.

OBJECTIVES

To clarify the therapeutic effect of yokukansan for perioperative psychiatric symptoms in patients with cancer as well as to confirm its safety profile.

METHODS

This is a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial conducted at a single center in Tokyo, Japan. About 195 patients with cancer scheduled to undergo tumor resection took one packet of the study drug, which was administered orally. Coprimary outcomes were change in preoperative anxiety assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety and incidence of postoperative delirium assessed with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. Interim analysis was performed with one-third (n = 74) of the target number of registered patients.

RESULTS

Because this trial was canceled based on the results of the interim analysis and the protocol treatment was discontinued in patients who were already registered, conclusions were based on the full analysis set of 160 participants. There were no significant differences between groups in the change of mean Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety score (intervention group [SD] 0.4 [3.0] vs. placebo group 0.5 [3.0]; P = 0.796) or the incidence of postoperative delirium (32% vs. 30%; P = 0.798). There were no serious adverse events in either group.

CONCLUSION

In patients with cancer undergoing highly invasive surgeries, yokukansan demonstrated no significant efficacy for the treatment of preoperative anxiety or the prevention of postoperative delirium. Yokukansan is already used in daily practice in Japan, but we should be careful with its future use.

Sense of coherence, mental well-being and perceived preoperative hospital and surgery related stress in surgical patients with malignant, benign, and no neoplasms

BACKGROUND

This prospective, cross-sectional, observational study examined associations between sense of coherence (SOC), mental well-being, and perceived preoperative hospital and surgery related stress of surgical patients with malignant, benign, and no neoplasms. The objective was to assess a putative association between SOC and preoperative stress, and to test for a statistical mediation by mental well-being.

METHOD

The sample consisted of 4918 patients from diverse surgical fields, of which 945 had malignant neoplasms, 333 benign neoplasms, and 3640 no neoplasms. For each subsample, we conducted simple mediation analyses to test an indirect effect of SOC on preoperative stress mediated by mental well-being. The models were adjusted for age, gender, and essential medical factors.

RESULTS

Patient groups did not differ significantly regarding degrees of SOC and mental well-being (SOC, M [SD]: 12.31 [2.59], 12.02 [2.62], 12.18 [2.57]; mental well-being M [SD]: 59.26 [24.05], 56.89 [22.67], 57.31 [22.87], in patients with malignant, benign, and without neoplasms, respectively). Patients without neoplasms reported significantly lower stress (4.19 [2.86], M [SD]) than those with benign (5.02 [3.03], M [SD]) and malignant neoplasms (4.99 [2.93], M [SD]). In all three mediation models, SOC had significant direct effects on stress, with higher SOC being associated with lower stress (- 0.3170 [0.0407], - 0.3484 [0.0752], - 0.2919 [0.0206]; c' [SE], p < 0.001 in patients with malignant, benign, and without neoplasms, respectively). In patients with malignant neoplasms and without neoplasms, SOC showed small indirect effects on stress that were statistically mediated by well-being. Higher SOC was related to higher well-being, which in turn was related to lower stress. In patients with benign neoplasms, however, no significant indirect effects of SOC were found.

CONCLUSIONS

SOC was directly associated with lower perceived hospital and surgery related stress, over and above the direct and mediation effects of mental well-being. Because the data are cross-sectional, conclusions implying causality cannot be drawn. Nevertheless, they indicate important relationships that can inform treatment approaches to reduce elevated preoperative stress by specifically addressing low SOC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01357694 . Registered 18 May 2011.

Is preoperative anxiety associated with postoperative delirium in older persons undergoing cardiac surgery? Secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial

Background

Although many studies have reported numerous risk factors for postoperative delirium, data are scarce about preoperative anxiety as a risk factor. The study aimed to investigate the association between preoperative anxiety and postoperative delirium in older patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Methods

Secondary data analysis of a randomized, observer-blind, controlled trial. A total of 190 patients 65 years or older and admitted to the intensive care unit and cardiac surgery unit of a university hospital scheduled for elective on-pump cardiac surgery were included. State anxiety was measured preoperatively using the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale and the Visual Analogue Scale for anxiety. Incidence of delirium was measured during the first 5 postoperative days using the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit (when ventilated), or the 3 Minute Diagnostic Interview for Confusion Assessment Method (when extubated) and by daily chart review.

Results

Preoperative state anxiety was reported by 31% of the patients and 41% had postoperative delirium. A multiple step logistic regression analyses revealed no association between preoperative anxiety and postoperative delirium. Significant risk factors for postoperative delirium were age (OR = 1.10, 95% CI (1.03–1.18)), activities of daily living (0.69, 95% CI (0.50–0.96)), diabetes mellitus (OR = 3.15, 95% CI (1.42–7.00)) and time on cardiopulmonary bypass (OR = 1.01, 95% CI (1.00 to 1.02)).

Conclusions

No relationship could be found between preoperative anxiety and postoperative delirium.

Estimates of Geriatric Delirium Frequency in Noncardiac Surgeries and Its Evaluation Across the Years: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Delirium is an acute neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with poor outcomes. Older adults undergoing surgery have a higher risk of manifesting perioperative delirium, particularly those having associated comorbidities. It remains unclear whether delirium frequency varies across surgical settings and if it has remained stable across the years. We conducted a systematic review to (1) determine the overall frequency of delirium in older people undergoing noncardiac surgery; (2) explore factors explaining the variability of the estimates; and (3) determine the changing of the estimates over the past 2 decades.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis. Literature search was performed in MEDLINE, PubMed, ISI Web of Science, EBSCO, ISRCTN registry, ScienceDirect, and Embase in January 2020 for studies published from 1995 to 2020.

SETTING

Noncardiac surgical settings.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-nine studies were included with a total of 26,865 patients screened for delirium.

METHODS

We included observational and controlled trials reporting incidence, prevalence, or proportion of delirium in adults aged ≥60 years undergoing any noncardiac surgery requiring hospitalization. Data extracted included sample size, reported delirium frequencies, surgery type, anesthesia type, delirium diagnosis method, length of hospitalization, and year of assessment. (PROSPERO registration no.: CRD42020160045).

RESULTS

We found an overall pooled frequency of preoperative delirium of 17.9% and postoperative delirium (POD) of 23.8%. The POD estimates increased between 1995 and 2020 at an average rate of 3% per year. Pooled estimates of POD were significantly higher in studies not excluding patients with lower cognitive performance before surgery (28% vs 16%) and when general anesthesia was used in comparison to local, spinal, or epidural anesthesia (28% vs 20%).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Type of anesthesia and preoperative cognitive status were significant moderators of delirium frequency. POD in noncardiac surgery has been increasing across the years, suggesting that more resources should be allocated to delirium prevention and management.

Risk Factors and Incidence of Postoperative Delirium in Patients Undergoing Laryngectomy

OBJECTIVE

To explore the risk factors and incidence of postoperative delirium (POD) in patients undergoing laryngectomy for laryngeal cancer.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Shanghai Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, Fudan University.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

A total of 323 patients underwent laryngectomy from April 4, 2018, to December 28, 2018. Perioperative data were collected. The primary outcome was the presence of POD as defined by the Confusion Assessment Method diagnostic algorithm. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors associated with POD.

RESULTS

Of the patients who underwent laryngectomy during the study period, 99.1% were male, with a mean age of 60.0 years. Of these patients, 28 developed POD, with most episodes (88.1%) occurring during the first 3 postoperative days. The type of POD was hyperactive in 7 cases and hypoactive in 21 cases. The mean duration of POD was 1 day. The mean Delirium Rating Scale-Revised-98 score (a measure of POD severity) was 11.5. For the multivariable analysis, risk factors associated with POD included advanced cancer stage, lower educational level, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, and intraoperative hypotension lasting at least 30 minutes. Intraoperative dexmedetomidine use was protective against POD.

CONCLUSION

This study identified risk factors associated with POD, providing a target population for quality improvement initiatives. Furthermore, intraoperative dexmedetomidine use can reduce POD.

Preoperative anxiety in Chinese colorectal cancer patients: The role of social support, self-esteem and coping styles

BACKGROUND

Relatively little is known about preoperative anxiety and its associated factors with colorectal cancer, which is one of the most prevalent cancers. We aimed to investigate preoperative anxiety and its associated social, psychological and coping factors based on the disclosure/nondisclosure of cancer diagnosis.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in consecutive colorectal cancer inpatients (N = 434), whose anxiety was assessed based on semi-structured interview, demographic-clinical variables, social support, self-esteem and coping styles (acceptance-resignation, confrontation, avoidance). Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between social, psychological, coping factors and preoperative anxiety.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in preoperative anxiety (χ² = 1.031, p = .31) between the disclosure and nondisclosure groups. Social, psychological and coping factors together accounted for an additional variance of preoperative anxiety (disclosure: 22%; nondisclosure: 20.8%). Social support (β = -0.17, p = .004), self-esteem (β = -0.22, p = .001) and coping styles (acceptance-resignation: β = 0.32, p < .001; confrontation: β = 0.13, p = .06; avoidance: β = -0.17, p = .04) were associated with preoperative anxiety in the nondisclosure group. For the disclosure group, acceptance-resignation was the only significantly associated factor of preoperative anxiety (β = 0.37, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Coping styles, such as acceptance-resignation and confrontation, could aggravate preoperative anxiety. Avoidance, social support and self-esteem might be helpful in preventing preoperative anxiety. These findings highlight the importance of providing psychological interventions for cancer patients by integrating social support, self-esteem and coping styles when disclosing a cancer diagnosis.

Yokukansan for perioperative psychiatric symptoms in cancer patients undergoing high invasive surgery. J-SUPPORT 1605 (ProD Study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Preoperative anxiety and postoperative delirium affect both short- and long-term prognoses in patients with cancer; therefore, these conditions require early prevention and treatment. However, no standard preventive or therapeutic methods have been established for them. Yokukansan, a Japanese herbal medicine for the treatment of insomnia and anxiety, causes relatively few adverse drug reactions and effectively improves the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Thus, it is expected to be useful for treating and/or preventing perioperative psychiatric symptoms in patients with cancer. The objective of this study is to clarify the therapeutic effect of Yokukansan for preoperative anxiety and its preventive effect on postoperative delirium in cancer patients, as well as to confirm its safety profile.

Methods

This study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in cancer patients scheduled to undergo tumor resection. Patients who provide consent are randomly allocated to receive oral administration of Yokukansan or placebo, and study drug administration is continued for 4 days or longer prior to surgery. We defined two primary endpoints, change in preoperative anxiety and incidence of postoperative delirium. Secondary endpoints are severity score of postoperative delirium, duration of postoperative delirium, amount of benzodiazepines used prior to surgery, amount of antipsychotic agents used after surgery, and number of postoperative hospitalization days. We plan to complete the analysis on March 31, 2021. The target number of registered patients is 110 per group, or 220 in total.

Discussion

This study is the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study intended to clarify the effects of a Japanese herbal medicine, Yokukansan, in the prevention and treatment of perioperative psychiatric symptoms in patients with cancer. The trial was initiated on August 14, 2017, with 195 subjects randomized by October 5, 2018.

Trial registration

UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR), UMIN000027561. Registered on 31 May 2017.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-019-3202-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.