Cognitive and Physical Optimization in Prevention of Postoperative Cognitive Deficit in Elderly With Lung Resection
- Conditions
- Prehabilitation
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Cognitive training, CogniFit App
- Registration Number
- NCT06339268
- Lead Sponsor
- Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia
- Brief Summary
Postoperative cognitive deficit and its connection with surgery and general anesthesia were first mentioned in the literature in 1955 by Bradford. Cognitive disorders in the postoperative period are postoperative delirium (POD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). POD is an acute dysfunction in cognition, which did not exist preoperatively. Attention deficit disorder is the main symptom of POD and refers to the inability to direct, focus, maintain, or shift attention. Memory impairment, disorientation, or perceptual disturbances may also be present. Cognitive capacity changes in POD patients develop and fluctuate in the first few days after surgery. Unlike POD, there is no formal definition for POCD. Based on data from the existing literature, it is defined as newly diagnosed cognitive deterioration that occurs after surgery. The diagnosis of POCD should be based on pre- and postoperative screening with appropriate psychometric tests. Risk factors for the development of POCD include those related to the surgical procedure, anesthesia, or the patient himself. Compared to less invasive and shorter operations, there is a higher risk of developing POCD after major, invasive, and long-term operations. Additional risk factors are intraoperative (intraoperative bleeding, perioperative transfusion treatment, hypotension) and postoperative complications (respiratory insufficiency, pneumonia, atelectasis, bronchospasm, bronchopleural fistula, and pulmonary edema). Presurgical optimization (Prehabilitation) is a widespread concept that aims to improve the general condition of the patient or optimize comorbidities before major surgery. Prehabilitation is primarily focused on improving physical ability and nutritional status, but it is developing in the direction of a multimodal approach that includes measures to reduce stress and anxiety. Psychological factors are increasingly recognized as an essential element of prehabilitation and are often added to prehabilitation programs.
Older patients, who meet the diagnostic criteria for frailty and are at risk of developing postoperative complications such as cognitive function disorders are increasingly
undergoing lung resection. These complications can affect the outcome and speed of postoperative recovery.
- Detailed Description
After setting the indication for operative treatment, patients who meet the criteria for inclusion in the study, after signing the informed consent, will be randomized into two groups:
1. The first group (intervention) where the patient will receive preoperative cognitive stimulation and physical therapy for one month before surgical treatment.
2. The second group (control) where patients receive standard treatment. Randomization will be performed using computer randomization by doctors who do not participate in the testing and preoperative preparation of the patient.
Patients included in the first group will be subjected to psychological testing and preoperative training to receive tasks to improve cognitive functions. This technique, known as presurgical cognitive optimization, involves several standardized tests of cognitive stimulation through the cognitive training application (Cognifit) on a phone or tablet that patients use three times a week for 20 minutes for a month (from inclusion in the study to scheduled surgery). Also, after consultation with a physiatrist and testing for the presence of weakness syndrome as well as other tests related to the mobility and physical condition of patients, preoperative physical therapy (breathing exercises, walking, climbing stairs) will be carried out in this group of patients. Patients from this group, in addition to the exercise program they carry out for physical preparation before surgery, receive preoperative education on techniques and exercises that they will do immediately postoperatively in bed. Patients will keep a diary of preoperative activities that will be controlled by researchers.
Patients from the second group will be tested perioperatively with cognitive and weakness syndrome tests and other physiatry tests, but without cognitive intervention and physical therapy, they will be referred for surgery.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 120
- Older than 60 years
- Elective lung resection operations
- Patients who can use a phone or tablet
- Patients who agreed to participate in the study
- Clinical scale of weakness less than 6
- The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status I, II, III, IV
- Under 60 years of age
- Significant psychiatric comorbidity (schizophrenia, depression, alcoholism)
- Significant neurological comorbidity (dementia, cerebrovascular insult in the last 6 months, parkinsonism)
- Patient's refusal to participate in the study
- The inability of the patient to use a tablet or phone
- The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status V and VI
- Clinical weakness scale 6 and above
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Intervention group Cognitive training, CogniFit App Patients included in the first group will be subjected to psychological testing and preoperative training with the aim of receiving tasks to improve cognitive functions. This technique involves several standardized tests of cognitive stimulation through the Cognifit application on a phone or tablet that patients use three times a week for 20 minutes for a month (from inclusion in the study to scheduled surgery). Also, after consultation with a physiatrist and testing for the presence of weakness syndrome as well as other tests related to the mobility and physical condition of patients, preoperative physical therapy (breathing exercises, walking, climbing stairs) will be carried out in this group of patients. Patients from this group, receive preoperative education on techniques and exercises that they will do immediately postoperatively in bed. Patients will keep a diary of preoperative activities that will be controlled by researchers.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Functional status and postoperative recovery From 1 month preoperatively (schedulling patient for surgery) until 30th postoperative day Assessment of the functional status and speed of recovery Timed up and go test is performed by measuring the time for the following sequence of actions:
1. Stand up from the chair.
2. Walk to the line on the floor at a normal pace.
3. Turn.
4. Walk back to the chair at a normal pace.
5. Sit down again.
Mobility is assessed based on time to complete the test:
\< 10 seconds = normal \< 20 seconds = good mobility; can walk outside alone; does not require a walking aid \< 30 seconds = walking and balance problems; cannot walk outside alone; requires walking aidPerioperative depression and anxiety From 1 month preoperatively (schedulling patient for surgery) until 30th postoperative day Perioperative assessment of depression, anxiety, and stress: DAS - depression and anxiety assessment scale (42-item self-report scale measures the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress)
Scoring Guide DASS (42) Scoring Depression Anxiety Stress Normal 0-9 0-7 0-14 Mild 10-13 8-9 15-18 Moderate 14-20 10-14 19-25 Severe 21-27 15-19 26-33 Extremely Severe 28+ 20+ 34+
Results are assessed between the intervention group and controlPostoperative cognitive dysfunction From 1 month preoperatively (schedulling patient for surgery) until 30th postoperative day Incidence of newly diagnosed or worsening of the existing postoperative cognitive decline assessed by change in score of MMSE - Mini-Mental State Examination (an 11-question measure that tests five areas of cognitive function: orientation, registration, attention, and calculation, recall, and language). On a scale from 0-30 points:
≥ 25 points normal cognitive function 19-24 points minor cognitive dysfunction 10-18 points medium cognitive dysfunction
≤ 9 points major cognitive dysfunction In this study change of 3 or more points in MMSE between two tests ( pre and postoperative) or between individual participants will be marked as significantPostoperative delirium First postoperative day Incidence of newly diagnosed postoperative delirium: CAM-ICU (Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU) using CAM-ICU Flowsheet:
Step 1. Acute Change or Fluctuating Course of Mental Status: yes (delirium positive) or no (CAM-ICU negative) Step 2. Inattention: 0 - 2 errors (CAM-ICU negative) or \> 2 errors go to next step Step 3. Altered Level of Consciousness (the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale - RASS): from -5 (unarousable - no response to voice or physical stimulation) to +4 (combative). Anything other than 0 (alert and calm) goes to the next step.
Step 4. Disorganized thinking: 0-1 errors (not delirious) or \> 1 error (delirious) Feature 1 plus 2 and either 3 or 4 present = CAM-ICU positivePostoperative recovery From 1st til 5th postoperative day Assessment of the speed of recovery - A test of functional recovery: 10 items for assessing basic activities by a six-level ordinal scale 0 (activity not achieved) -5 (fully independent and secure). Total scores can range from 0 to 50 (from inability to perform any activity to complete independence.) Speed of recovery will be assessed with a comparison of the scores during the first 5 postoperative days.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Overall outcome: Morbidity From surgery until 30th postoperative day Morbidity will be presented as % of patients within the groups who develop any kind of complication or illness postoperatively during the period of follow-up
Overall outcome: Complication rate From surgery until 30th postoperative day Complication rate will be presented as % of patients within the groups who develop:
* Respiratory failure
* Pneumonia
* Atelectasis
* Bronchospasm
* Bronchopleural fistula
* Air leak
* Pulmonary edemaOverall outcome: Mortality From surgery until 30th postoperative day Mortality will be presented as overall and % of deaths in the study population and both groups
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Military Medical Academy
🇷🇸Belgrade, Serbia