Perioperative medicine & outcomes
The Role of Sleep Apnea in Postoperative Neurocognitive Disorders Among Older Noncardiac Surgery Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study
An erratum to this article was published (Anesth Analg, 1 May 2025 ↗)
Authors' conclusion
In this older noncardiac surgery cohort, untreated sleep apnea was not associated with increased incidence or severity of postoperative neurocognitive disorder or delirium.
Study context
- Population
- Older noncardiac surgery patients aged 60 years and above with preoperative home sleep apnea testing58 positive for sleep apnea
- Participants
- 96 patients
- Exposure
- Severity of untreated OSA and postoperative neurocognitive disorder
- Outcome
- Postoperative neurocognitive disorder severity (global cognitive change from before to after surgery)
- Follow-up
- 6 weeks
Methodological detailssingle-centre
- Single-centre
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
PND severity (global cognitive change)
- Sleep apnea severity not associated with increased PND severity at 6 weeks
- Sleep apnea severity: 95% CI −0.02 to 0.03; P = 0.79
- Sleep apnea severity: 95% CI −0.02 to 0.04; P = 0.40
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
PND incidence (mild or major) · 6 weeks and 1 year
| OR (95% CI) | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep apnea severity6 weeks; multivariable | 0.89 (0.59–1.14) | P = 0.45 | |
| Sleep apnea severity1 year; multivariable | 1.01 (0.81–1.24) | P = 0.90 | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
Postoperative delirium incidence and severity
| OR (95% CI) | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep apnea severityDelirium incidence; univariable | 0.88 (0.59–1.10) | P = 0.37 | |
| Sleep apnea severityDelirium incidence; multivariable | 1.07 (0.81–1.38) | P = 0.74 | |
| Sleep apnea severityDelirium severity; multivariable | 0.95 (0.81–1.10) | P = 0.48 | |
| 0.512Odds ratio (log scale) |
| Outcome | Estimate | P value |
|---|---|---|
| PND severity (global cognitive change) · 1 yearSleep apnea severity · univariable | (95% CI −0.02 to 0.03) | P = 0.70 |
| PND severity (global cognitive change) · 1 yearSleep apnea severity · adjusted for age, sex, baseline cognition, surgery duration | (95% CI −0.02 to 0.04) | P = 0.55 |
| Postoperative delirium incidence and severitySleep apnea severity · delirium severity; univariable | (95% CI −0.02 to 0.03) | P = 0.79 |
Original publication
The Role of Sleep Apnea in Postoperative Neurocognitive Disorders Among Older Noncardiac Surgery Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study. Anesth Analg. Published 22 November 2024. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →