Background: This study aims to investigate the risk factors of perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PNDs) mainly including postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in elderly patients with gastrointestinal tumors, and evaluate its predictive value.
Methods: A total of 222 eligible elderly patients (≥65 years) scheduled for elective gastroenterectomy under general anesthesia were enrolled. The cognitive function assessment was carried out 1 day before surgery and 7 days after surgery. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the predictive value of risk factors for early POCD. The risk factors for POCD were analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression mode.
Results: Of all the 222 enrolled patients, 91 (41.0%) developed early POCD and 40 (18.0%) were identified as major POCD within 7 days after the surgery. Visual analogue score (VAS, 1st day, resting) ≥4 (OR=7.618[3.231–17.962], P<0.001) and alcohol exposure (OR= 2.398[1.174–4.900], P=0.016) were independent risk factors for early POCD. VAS score (1st, resting) ≥4 (OR=13.823[4.779–39.981], P<0.001), preoperative white blood cell (WBC) levels ≥10x10*9/L(OR=5.548[1.128-26.221], P=0.035), blood loss ≥500ml (OR=3.317[1.094-10.059], P=0.034), history of hypertension (OR=3.046[1.267-7.322], P=0.013), and neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥2 (OR=3.261[1.020-10.419], P=0.046) were independent risk factors for major POCD. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that VAS score (1st day, resting) was a significant predictor for major POCD with a cut-off value of 2.68 and an area under the curve of 0.860 (95% confidence interval: 0.801–0.920, P<0.001).
Conclusions: The risk factors for early POCD after gastroenterectomy included high VAS score (1st day, resting) and alcohol exposure. High VAS score, preoperative WBC levels ≥10x10*9/L, blood loss ≥500ml, NLR ≥2, and history of hypertension were independent risk factors for major POCD. Among them, VAS score had a high predictive value.