Minerva anestesiologica
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Minerva anestesiologica · Jul 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialHow can postoperative delirium be predicted in advance? A secondary analysis comparing three methods of early assessment in elderly patients.
Postoperative impairment of the cerebral function can appear immediately after general anesthesia and may be predictive for a postoperative delirium. We compared three tools assessing patients on recovery room admission in order to detect early signs of postoperative brain dysfunction: the Postanesthetic Recovery Score (PARS), the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) and the Nursing Delirium Screening Scale (Nu-DESC). ⋯ The RASS and Nu-DESC were independent predictors for a delirium within seven postoperative days. Very early assessment of the cerebral function may help to advance detection, prevention and treatment of postoperative delirium in elderly patients.