Perioperative medicine & outcomes
The Co-TELE-SURGE study: A prospective cohort proof-of-concept study of perioperative cognitive trajectories in older adults undergoing noncardiac surgery
Authors' conclusion
In our exploratory proof-of-concept study, surgery was associated with a statistically significant level and trend change in cognitive performance, however the magnitude of the change was small and partially due to confounding.
Study context
- Population
- Patients ≥65 years waiting ≥6 weeks for elective noncardiac surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Participants
- 84 patients
- Exposure
- Postoperative vs preoperative cognitive trajectories
- Outcome
- Cognitive performance (Cogstate Brief Battery), level and trend change from before to after surgery
- Follow-up
- 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively
Methodological detailsproof-of-concept, interrupted time-series analysis, remote cognitive assessment, Cognition assessed remotely at enrolment, monthly preoperatively (≥2 assessments) and at 1, 3, 6, 12 months postoperatively
- Proof-of-concept
- Interrupted time-series analysis
- Remote cognitive assessment
- Cognition assessed remotely at enrolment, monthly preoperatively (≥2 assessments) and at 1, 3, 6, 12 months postoperatively
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Level change after surgery, controlling for preoperative trend
- Small decline in level of average performance on psychomotor function and attention tasks
- p = 0.017
- Postoperative trajectory improvement vs preoperative: psychomotor function
- p = 0.008
- Postoperative trajectory improvement vs preoperative: attention
- p = 0.002
- Postoperative trajectory improvement vs preoperative: visual learning
- p = 0.007
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Adjusted for potential confounders
- Only postoperative level change in attention remained statistically significant
- P = 0.027
Original publication
The Co-TELE-SURGE study: A prospective cohort proof-of-concept study of perioperative cognitive trajectories in older adults undergoing noncardiac surgery. J Clin Anesth. Published 22 September 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →