Cognitive Training for the Prevention of Postoperative Delirium
Completed · Not applicable
Conditions studied: Delirium
In brief
Postoperative delirium is a significant public health concern, affecting up to 70% of elderly patients presenting for surgery. Furthermore, postoperative delirium is associated with increased mortality, persistent cognitive decline, increased hospital length of stay, and elevated healthcare costs. Unfortunately, there is a lack of evidence-based strategies that consistently and effectively reduce the risk of delirium. In fact, although the American Geriatrics Society has released guidelines for the prevention of postoperative delirium, the evidence supporting many of the proposed preventive measures has been deemed low quality. Cognitive training exercises have been shown to improve cognitive function and functional status in community-dwelling elderly adults, and benefits may last for several months to years. Specifically, training exercises have led to improved performance in attention, short-term memory, and visuospatial processing; all of which are implicated as clinical features of delirium. Cognitive training has also strengthened connectivity in brain networks implicated in postoperative delirium. Thus, given these specific neurological benefits afforded, preoperative cognitive training may provide protection against the development of postoperative delirium. As such, the aim of this pilot study is to assess the feasibility of implementing a preoperative cognitive training program for surgical patients at high-risk for delirium and other associated complications.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT02963961
- Run by
- University of Michigan
- People needed
- 61
- Starts
- 2017-04-06
- Expected to finish
- 2018-05-18
- Last updated by the study team
- 2021-03-24
Who can join
Age: 60 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Patients 60 years of age and older
- Major noncardiac, non-major vascular, non-intracranial surgery
- Daily access to computer and internet use prior to surgery
You may not qualify if…
- Pre-existing cognitive impairment (preoperative delirium and/or not having capacity to provide informed consent)
- Severe auditory or visual impairment
- Emergency surgery
- No daily computer and internet access
- Already participating in cognitive training exercises
Where it is running
- University of Michigan Medical School — Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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