Assessment of a digital game as a neuropsychological test for postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction may result from worsening in a condition of previous impairment. It causes greater difficulty in recovery, longer hospital stays, and consequent delay in returning to work activities. Digital games have a potential neuromodulatory and rehabilitation effect. In this study, a digital game was used as a neuropsychological test to assess postoperative cognitive dysfunction, with preoperative patient performance as control. METHODS: It was a non-controlled study, with patients selected among candidates for elective non-cardiac surgery, evaluated in the pre- and postoperative periods. The digital game used has six phases developed to evaluate selective attention, alternating attention, visuoperception, inhibitory control, short-term memory, and long-term memory. The digital game takes about 25 minutes. Scores are the sum of correct answers in each cognitive domain. Statistical analysis compared these cognitive functions pre- and post-surgery using a generalized linear mixed model (ANCOVA). RESULTS: Sixty patients were evaluated, 40% male and 60% female, with a mean age of 52.7 ± 13.5 years. Except for visuoperception, a reduction in post-surgery scores was found in all phases of the digital game. CONCLUSION: The digital game was able to detect decline in several cognitive functions postoperatively. As its completion is faster than in conventional tests on paper, this digital game may be a potentially recommended tool for assessing patients, especially the elderly and in the early postoperative period.

The MentalPlus® Digital Game Might Be an Accessible Open Source Tool to Evaluate Cognitive Dysfunction in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction in Hypertensive Patients: A Pilot Exploratory Study.

INTRODUCTION: Cognitive dysfunction with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is well studied. However, there are few comparative studies with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Cognitive dysfunction diagnosis usually demands a long neuropsychological battery. We developed MentalPlus® digital game to overwhelm that issue. METHODS: As a pilot study, we evaluated 60 patients with systemic hypertension and HFpEF. They were submitted to TICS (Telephone Interview Cognitive Status) to evaluate the general cognitive function and 25 minutes of MentalPlus® digital game evaluation. RESULTS: The results disclosed 60 hypertensive patients. All of them presented with HFpEF. Patients presented a mean age of 56±10 years; 46% male; LVMi (g/m2) mean of 110±20; educational attainment of 9 years or more; mean income of 8 Brazilian minimum wages. The TICS results disclosed 28 ±3.7. MentalPlus® digital game evaluation disclosed preserved values for the phases I, III, IV, V, VI, and VII. Phase II, short-term memory related, was below the normals values that were assigned. This group of patients presented a normal general cognition by both evaluations, except for specific functions displayed above, disclosed by MentalPlus®. The MentalPlus® was designed to possibly evaluate specific cognitive functions separately, like attention, memory, executive function, and language, because each phase evaluates specific functions shortly. CONCLUSION: Hypertensive HFpEF patients presented in general a normal cognition, except for some aspects related to short-term memory. The MentalPlus® digital game, compared with TICS, presented similar general results. It is an advantage that MentalPlus® software could be used to assess cognitive function, in general and individually, and be an open tool shortly.

Effects of Single Low Dose of Dexamethasone before Noncardiac and Nonneurologic Surgery and General Anesthesia on Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction-A Phase III Double Blind, Randomized Clinical Trial.

UNLABELLED: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a multifactorial adverse event most frequently in elderly patients. This study evaluated the effect of dexamethasone on POCD incidence after noncardiac and nonneurologic surgery. METHODS: One hundred and forty patients (ASA I-II; age 60-87 years) took part in a prospective phase III, double blind, randomized study involving the administration or not of 8 mg of IV dexamethasone before general anesthesia under bispectral index (BIS) between 35-45 or 46-55. Neuropsychological tests were applied preoperatively and on the 3rd, 7th, 21st, 90th and 180th days after surgery and compared with normative data. S100ß was evaluated before and 12 hours after induction of anesthesia. The generalized estimating equations (GEE) method was applied, followed by the posthoc Bonferroni test considering P<0.05 as significant. RESULTS: On the 3rd postoperative day, POCD was diagnosed in 25.2% and 15.3% of patients receiving dexamethasone, BIS 35-45, and BIS 46-55 groups, respectively. Meanwhile, POCD was present in 68.2% and 27.2% of patients without dexamethasone, BIS 35-45 and BIS 46-55 groups (p<0.0001). Neuropsychological tests showed that dexamethasone associated to BIS 46-55 decreased the incidence of POCD, especially memory and executive function. The administration of dexamethasone might have prevented the postoperative increase in S100ß serum levels. CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone can reduce the incidence of POCD in elderly patients undergoing surgery, especially when associated with BIS 46-55. The effect of dexamethasone on S100ß might be related with some degree of neuroprotection. TRIAL REGISTRATION: www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01332812.

Coronary reserve impairment prevents the improvement of left ventricular dysfunction and adversely affects the long-term outcome of patients with hypertensive dilated cardiomyopathy.

In hypertension, left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy develops as an adaptive mechanism to compensate for increased afterload and thus preserve systolic function. Associated structural changes such as microvascular disease might potentially interfere with this mechanism, producing pathological hypertrophy. A poorer outcome is expected to occur when LV function is put in jeopardy by impaired coronary reserve. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of coronary reserve in the long-term outcome of patients with hypertensive dilated cardiomyopathy. Between 1996 and 2000, 45 patients, 30 of them male, with 52+/-11 years and LV fractional shortening <30% were enrolled and followed until 2006. Coronary flow velocity reserve was assessed by transesophageal Doppler of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Sixteen patients showed >/=10% improvement in LV fractional shortening after 17+/-6 months. Coronary reserve was the only variable independently related to this improvement. Total mortality was 38% in 10 years. The Cox model identified coronary reserve (hazard ratio=0.814; 95% CI=0.72-0.92), LV mass, low diastolic blood pressure, and male gender as independent predictors of mortality. In hypertensive dilated cardiomyopathy, coronary reserve impairment adversely affects survival, possibly by interfering with the improvement of LV dysfunction.

Endothelial and non-endothelial coronary blood flow reserve and left ventricular dysfunction in systemic hypertension.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the impairment of endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent coronary blood flow reserve after administration of intracoronary acetylcholine and adenosine, and its association with hypertensive cardiac disease. INTRODUCTION: Coronary blood flow reserve reduction has been proposed as a mechanism for the progression of compensated left ventricular hypertrophy to ventricular dysfunction. METHODS: Eighteen hypertensive patients with normal epicardial coronary arteries on angiography were divided into two groups according to left ventricular fractional shortening (FS). Group 1 (FS > or =0.25): n=8, FS=0.29 +/- 0.03; Group 2 (FS <0.25): n=10, FS= 0.17 +/- 0.03. RESULTS: Baseline coronary blood flow was similar in both groups (Group 1: 80.15 +/- 26.41 mL/min, Group 2: 100.09 +/- 21.51 mL/min, p=NS). In response to adenosine, coronary blood flow increased to 265.1 +/- 100.2 mL/min in Group 1 and to 300.8 +/- 113.6 mL/min (p <0.05) in Group 2. Endothelium-independent coronary blood flow reserve was similar in both groups (Group 1: 3.31 +/- 0.68 and Group 2: 2.97 +/- 0.80, p=NS). In response to acetylcholine, coronary blood flow increased to 156.08 +/- 36.79 mL/min in Group 1 and to 177.8 +/- 83.6 mL/min in Group 2 (p <0.05). Endothelium-dependent coronary blood flow reserve was similar in the two groups (Group 1: 2.08 +/- 0.74 and group Group 2: 1.76 +/- 0.61, p=NS). Peak acetylcholine/peak adenosine coronary blood flow response (Group 1: 0.65 +/- 0.27 and Group 2: 0.60 +/- 0.17) and minimal coronary vascular resistance (Group 1: 0.48 +/- 0.21 mmHg/mL/min and Group 2: 0.34 +/- 0.12 mmHg/mL/min) were similar in both groups (p= NS). Casual diastolic blood pressure and end-systolic left ventricular stress were independently associated with FS. CONCLUSIONS: In our hypertensive patients, endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent coronary blood flow reserve vasodilator administrations had similar effects in patients with either normal or decreased left ventricular systolic function.

Endothelial and non-endothelial coronary blood flow reserve and left ventricular dysfunction in systemic hypertension

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the impairment of endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent coronary blood flow reserve after administration of intracoronary acetylcholine and adenosine, and its association with hypertensive cardiac disease. INTRODUCTION: Coronary blood flow reserve reduction has been proposed as a mechanism for the progression of compensated left ventricular hypertrophy to ventricular dysfunction. METHODS: Eighteen hypertensive patients with normal epicardial coronary arteries on angiography were divided into two groups according to left ventricular fractional shortening (FS). Group 1 (FS >0.25): n=8, FS=0.29 ± 0.03; Group 2 (FS <0.25): n=10, FS= 0.17 ± 0.03. RESULTS: Baseline coronary blood flow was similar in both groups (Group 1: 80.15 ± 26.41 mL/min, Group 2: 100.09 ± 21.51 mL/min, p=NS). In response to adenosine, coronary blood flow increased to 265.1 ± 100.2 mL/min in Group 1 and to 300.8 ± 113.6 mL/min (p <0.05) in Group 2. Endothelium-independent coronary blood flow reserve was similar in both groups (Group 1: 3.31 ± 0.68 and Group 2: 2.97 ± 0.80, p=NS). In response to acetylcholine, coronary blood flow increased to 156.08 ± 36.79 mL/min in Group 1 and to 177.8 ± 83.6 mL/min in Group 2 (p <0.05). Endothelium-dependent coronary blood flow reserve was similar in the two groups (Group 1: 2.08 ± 0.74 and group Group 2: 1.76 ± 0.61, p=NS). Peak acetylcholine/peak adenosine coronary blood flow response (Group 1: 0.65 ± 0.27 and Group 2: 0.60 ± 0.17) and minimal coronary vascular resistance (Group 1: 0.48 ± 0.21 mmHg/mL/min and Group 2: 0.34 ± 0.12 mmHg/mL/min) were similar in both groups (p= NS). Casual diastolic blood pressure and end-systolic left ventricular stress were independently associated with FS. CONCLUSIONS: In our hypertensive patients, endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent coronary blood flow reserve vasodilator administrations had similar effects in patients with either normal or decreased ...