How often thinking and memory get worse after surgery in people who already have memory problems
Incidence of Postoperative Cognitive Decline in Surgical Patients With Preexisting Cognitive Impairment: A Prospective Cohort Study
We will see how often thinking and memory get worse after elective non-cardiac surgery with general anesthesia in people aged 60 and older who already have mild cognitive problems.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 340 (estimated) |
| Ages | 60 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Peking University Shenzhen Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Shenzhen, Guangdong) |
| Trial ID | NCT07135336 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This single-center, prospective, single-arm cohort follows adults aged 60 and older with preexisting mild cognitive impairment who undergo elective non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia to measure postoperative cognitive decline (POCD). Preoperative screening uses the Mini-Cog followed by MMSE and MoCA-B for those who screen positive, and postoperative neuropsychological testing tracks changes over time. A separate normative sample of cognitively normal older adults is recruited to define expected test score variation without surgery rather than to serve as an intervention control group. The study is conducted at Peking University Shenzhen Hospital and focuses on incidence estimates to inform perioperative care for this population.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Mandarin-speaking adults age 60 or older who screen positive for mild cognitive impairment on MMSE/MoCA-B and are scheduled for elective non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia, and who usually reside in Shenzhen.
Not a fit: Patients without preexisting cognitive impairment, those unable to complete cognitive testing (for example, non‑Mandarin speakers or those with severe vision or hearing loss), or those living outside Shenzhen are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could help doctors predict who is at higher risk of cognitive decline after surgery and improve perioperative care plans for affected patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have documented POCD in older adults after surgery, but few prospective cohorts have specifically measured incidence in patients with preexisting cognitive impairment using local normative controls.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
1. Preexisting Cognitive Impairment (PreCI) Surgical Group Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥ 60 years * Preoperative screening with MMSE and MoCA-B indicating mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or mild dementia * Undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia Exclusion Criteria: * Expected difficulty in completing neuropsychological assessments (e.g., inability to communicate in Mandarin, blindness, or deafness) * Usual residence outside Shenzhen 2. Normative Reference Group Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥ 60 years * No history of general anesthesia surgery within the past 12 months * Mini-Cog score \> 1 Exclusion Criteria: * Planned elective surgery under general anesthesia within the next 12 months * History of suspected or diagnosed cognitive impairment, or screening indicating cognitive impairment using MMSE and MoCA-B * Expected difficulty in completing neuropsychological assessments (e.g., inability to communicate in Mandarin, blindness, or deafness) * Usual residence outside Shenzhen
Where this trial is running
Shenzhen, Guangdong
- Peking University Shenzhen Hospital — Shenzhen, Guangdong, China (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Yaqian Yu
- Email: meayaqian@gmail.com
- Phone: +86 13528403653
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.