Study of Depressive Symptoms Predicting Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction

The aetiology of POCD is multifactorial. One described risk factor is preoperative existing depressive symptoms in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. A total of 300 consecutive patients and 80 healthy controls will be enrolled in this study. Patients will be followed up at 7 days, 3 months and 1 year postoperatively. The co gnitive function will be tested and compared to tests done before surgery. Postoperatively - from the day of operation until the 7th day (except day 6) - grade of sedation, agitation, signs of delirium, pain, cardiac, respiratory, renal and infectious complications will be monitored. Next to preoperative depressive symptoms we will also evaluate a diagnosed depression, anxiety, pain, health-related quality of life, physical comorbidities, adrenal cortical insufficiency, type of anaesthesia, intraoperative blood loss, organ complications, postoperative delirium, baseline cognitive functioning and the number of operations/anaesthetics in the study period after the initial operation as further potential predictors of POCD. In addition, laboratory values and certain medications will be documented. These include: anaemia, hypercalcaemia, thyroidal gland hormones, electrolytes, creatinine, urea, glomerular filtration rate and cortisone therapy.