Background: Neurocognitive decline (NCD) is a common complication of cardiac surgery. Understanding risk factors helps surgeons counsel patients pre- and perioperatively about risk, prevention, and treatment.
Study design: Patients undergoing cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass underwent pre- and postoperative neurocognitive testing. Neurocognitive data are presented as a change from baseline to either postoperative day 4 or to 1 month. The score is standardized with respect to age.
Results: Eighty-four patients underwent surgery and completed postoperative neurocognitive testing. There was no significant difference in baseline neurocognitive function. NCD was more common in female patients (71%) than male patients (26.4%) on postoperative day 4. By 1 month, the incidence of NCD is similar between female (15.0%) and male patients (14.3%). Of note, female patients differed from male patients in preoperative hematocrit, preoperative creatinine, and type of surgery.
Conclusions: In the acute postoperative period, female patients are both more likely to experience NCD and experience a more severe change from baseline cognitive function. This difference between male and female patients resolves by the 1 month follow-up point. Female patients had a lower preoperative hematocrit and were more likely to receive intraoperative and perioperative blood transfusion. Lower preoperative hematocrit appears to mediate the difference in NCD between male and female patients.
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