Investigation of the Association Between Perioperative Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Levels and Postoperative Neurological Complications After Carotid Endarterectomy

Patients scheduled for elective isolated carotid endarterectomy at Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital will be prospectively observed. Serum GFAP will be measured before surgery and 24 hours after surgery. Recorded variables will include demographic characteristics, comorbidities, coronary artery disease, echocardiographic and routine laboratory findings, perioperative anesthetic medications, hemodynamic measurements, peripheral oxygen saturation, and cerebral oxygenation measured by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Postoperative observations will include bleeding, hematoma, transient ischemic attack, stroke, delirium, cognitive dysfunction, and serum GFAP values. Analyses will compare participants who develop a postoperative neurological complication with those who do not and will evaluate the association of GFAP measurements with neurological complications using univariable and multivariable logistic regression. This is a non-interventional study; all clinical care will be determined by the treating team.