# Meta-Analysis of the Correlation between Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction and Intraoperative Cerebral Oxygen Saturation

Authors: Na Chen; Jing Lu
Journal: Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine
 (2022)

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## Abstract

Objective. This study is aimed at performing a meta-analysis for discussing the association between postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) and cerebral cortical oxygen saturation after surgery (rSO2). Method. Search common English databases such as Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase databases to evaluate the quality of all references. According to the normalized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval calculated by the revman5 software, the correlation between reported POCD and rSO2 was evaluated. The retrieval time is up to February 1, 2021. Results. A total of 7 randomized controlled trials and 564 POCD patients were included in the study, with follow-up duration of 1-12 months. All patients were divided into control and operation subgroups. In the subgroup analysis of elderly patients, abdominal surgery, and orthopedic surgery, the mean intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation of patients with POCD was significantly lower than those of patients without POCD (I2=55%, SMD=−0.57). Conclusion. Lower intraoperativersO2 was associated with reduced incidence of neurological complications and renal alure as well as the length of stay in the intensive care unit and the total hospital stay.


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## Body

## 1. Introduction

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common neuropsychological disorder after surgery among patients who will have short-term disturbances in patients’ memory, executive functioning, personality, or sleep, which usually appears in weeks or months after surgery and can last for months or even longer [1]. About 12% of patients over age 60 had postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) three months after surgery. POCD within a very short time after the operation occurred with a different frequency. Postoperative cognitive dysfunction is divided into early postoperative cognitive impairment and delayed postoperative cognitive dysfunction. The etiological factors of postoperative cerebral dysfunction are due to various etiological factors, such as pathogenetic mechanisms and the characteristic clinical types. POCD can lead to adverse results, including significant dysfunction within months, such as a significant decline in quality of life or an increase in related mortality. All of these result in increased medical costs and decreased quality of patient’s life. The underlying pathophysiology of POCD is complicated, in that patients undergoing macrovascular surgery are at risk of POCD [2].Intraoperative hypotension has attracted wide attention in the domain. It is not sure whether POCD affects patients’ long-term cognitive function. Czyz-Szypenbejl et al. found that POCD after surgery and anesthesia may negatively affect individuals’ long-term cognitive function [3]. Therefore, intraoperative hypotension induced by anesthesia is the focus of attention of anesthesiology and surgeons. It seems plausible that reversing the decrease of intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) may improve postoperative cognitive function and reduce complications. Oxygen saturation means how much hemoglobin is bound to oxygen compared with how much hemoglobin is still unbound. Previous studies have found that increased CrSO2 of postnatal life was associated with brain injury on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Evidence has shown a pivotal role for intraoperative monitoring of cerebral oxygen saturation in the development of cognitive impairment after surgery [4].In the Perfusion Pressure Cerebral Infarct (PPCI) trial, cerebral oximetry passes through the skull according to the characteristics close to infrared light. The results showed that patients with POCD would have longer cumulative time with higher rScO2, which could be used for noninvasive measurement of microvascular levels and changes in oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentrations throughout the tissue bed [5]. Cerebral oxygen saturation measurement is useful for identifying patients at risk of developing POCD and continuous assessment of the proportion of oxygen demand in the frontal cortex boundary area. This technique can be used to detect the risk of cerebral ischemia and the imbalance between supply and demand of cerebral oxygenation [6]. Due to the high incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction and cerebrovascular accidents, the value of cerebral oxygen saturation could mainly represent the oxygen content in the venous blood and cerebral oxygen metabolism. The study of Urits et al. showed that in cardiac surgery, preventing the decrease of intraoperative brain oxygen saturation greater than 20% of the baseline value can reduce the incidence of neurological complications and renal failure, which may adversely affect cerebral perfusion by reducing cardiac output or cerebrovascular vasoconstriction as well as the total hospital stay and overall residential cost [7]. Although the intraoperative application of cerebral oxygen saturation seems to have a bright future in monitoring cerebral perfusion and improving the prognosis of patients, hypothesis that median depth of anesthesia alone cannot capture the time-dependent effect of depth on postoperative cognition remains controversial [8].We conduct meta-analysis on these studies to provide theoretical reference for the clinical application of rSO2 in the prevention and treatment of POCD. The novelty is that we found lower intraoperativersO2 was associated with reduced incidence of neurological complications and renal alure as well as the length of stay in the intensive care unit and the total hospital stay.


## 2. Method

### 2.1. Literature Search

This subject searched 6 common English databases through computer, including Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and CINHAL to recognize the related research studies. The retrieval requirement is to retrieve as many and all relevant documents as possible. The retrieval time is up to February 1, 2021. The targeted study type is Cohort study. We have also screened the references of included studies in the documents which aim to include relevant systematic reviews. At the beginning of literature retrieval, the research works that established postoperative cognitive dysfunction and intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation were included in the analysis. Some studies were shortlisted because they comprised the retrospective. The inclusion criteria of this study are (1) the research object must be adults; (2) the grouping of the experimental group and the control group is clear; (3) the diagnostic method of the experimental group is explained; (4) trials included in the study were on basis of type of grafting, postoperative rehabilitation, gender, surgery type, and case complexity. Literature exclusion criteria: (1) non-English Literature; (2) literature types that cannot provide specific data such as review, letter, case report, and abstract; (3) incomplete literature data and repeated literature data; (4) serious defects in literature design, no control group experiment, and no clear diagnostic criteria for the experimental group; (5) studies without any control group; (6) full version of text missing; (7) nonclear outcome. If there are differences, they shall be settled through negotiation and discussion. If no agreement can be reached through negotiation and discussion, it shall be settled by third-party arbitration. The search formula is as follows:#l:”postoperative cognitive dysfunction”:ab, ti OR”pocd”:ab, tiOR”cognitive dysfunction”:ab, ti#2:”near infrared spectroscopy”:ab, ti OR”cerebral oximetry”:ab, tiOR”cerebral oxygen saturation”:ab, ti OR”regional cerebral oxygensaturation”:ab, ti#3:#1 AND#2


### 2.2. Document Information Extraction and Data Conversion

After determining the included literature, two evaluators study the included research, respectively, and extract the data in the literature for analysis. The data to be extracted include (1) 7 references were performed using RevMan 5.4.1—(The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark): graft failure; graft diameter; IKDC score; Lysholm score; Tegner Score. (2) The data extraction of experimental results, the number of people with POCD, and the change value of intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation during continuous monitoring of cerebral oxygen saturation. There are many statistical indicators involved in extracting the data of research results. Ideally, the extracted data just meet the requirements of meta-analysis. However, if it is not satisfied and needs to be used in meta-analysis, data conversion is required.


### 2.3. Quality Evaluation

Two commentators independently evaluated the quality of all the included literature. This scale has been used in the methodological quality evaluation training of case-control study by Cochrane Collaboration Network. It only includes 8 items, and the score of 10 is simple and easy to use. Among them, there are 4 items (one point for each item, a total of 4 points), 1 item for intergroup comparability (2 points), and 3 items for exposure factor measurement (one point for each item, a total of 3 points). The total score is 9 points. Each document is scored according to each item of NOS, from 0 (low quality) to 9 (high quality), and more than 5 points are defined as high-quality documents.Regarding preoperative cognitive dysfunction scales, only case-control study was included to observing the relationship between postoperative cognitive dysfunction and intraoperative brain oxygen saturation reduction belongs to a. The NOS evaluation standard of the case-control study can be adopted. The specific evaluation criteria of the NOS scale are as follows (if the standard is met, this item will be given a score, including 2 points for comparability between groups and 1 point for others). IfP≤0.1 or 12>50%, the reasons for heterogeneity should be analyzed first. If the heterogeneity is caused by these reasons, subgroup analysis needs to be used to continue the calculation of consolidated statistics. If several similar studies still have heterogeneity after analysis and processing by this method, the random effect model can be used to calculate the combined statistics. It is worth noting that the random effect model is used to statistically process heterogeneous data, not to replace the analysis of the causes of heterogeneity.


### 2.4. Combined Statistics and Test of Combined Statistics

Meta-analysis should combine the results of multiple similar studies into a single effect quantity, that is, a combined statistic is used to reflect the comprehensive effect of multiple similar studies. The data indicators to be analyzed in this study are continuous variables, so mean Di difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) can be selected as the consolidation statistics, and then the consolidation statistics can be used to describe the consolidation results of multiple studies. No matter what method is used to calculate the combined statistics, hypothesis test is required to test whether the combined statistics calculated by multiple similar studies are statistically significant. Generally,ZU test is commonly used, and the probability value (P) of this statistic is obtained according to the value of ZU. If P≤0.05, the combined statistics of multiple studies are statistically significant, while P>0.05, the combined statistics of multiple studies are not statistically significant. In addition to the ZU test, the hypothesis test of combined statistics can also use the confidence interval method. For example, when the test effect index is MD or SMI and its value is equal to 0, the test effect is invalid. At this time, if its 95% confidence interval contains 0, it is equivalent to P>0.05, which means there is no statistical significance.


## 2.1. Literature Search

This subject searched 6 common English databases through computer, including Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and CINHAL to recognize the related research studies. The retrieval requirement is to retrieve as many and all relevant documents as possible. The retrieval time is up to February 1, 2021. The targeted study type is Cohort study. We have also screened the references of included studies in the documents which aim to include relevant systematic reviews. At the beginning of literature retrieval, the research works that established postoperative cognitive dysfunction and intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation were included in the analysis. Some studies were shortlisted because they comprised the retrospective. The inclusion criteria of this study are (1) the research object must be adults; (2) the grouping of the experimental group and the control group is clear; (3) the diagnostic method of the experimental group is explained; (4) trials included in the study were on basis of type of grafting, postoperative rehabilitation, gender, surgery type, and case complexity. Literature exclusion criteria: (1) non-English Literature; (2) literature types that cannot provide specific data such as review, letter, case report, and abstract; (3) incomplete literature data and repeated literature data; (4) serious defects in literature design, no control group experiment, and no clear diagnostic criteria for the experimental group; (5) studies without any control group; (6) full version of text missing; (7) nonclear outcome. If there are differences, they shall be settled through negotiation and discussion. If no agreement can be reached through negotiation and discussion, it shall be settled by third-party arbitration. The search formula is as follows:#l:”postoperative cognitive dysfunction”:ab, ti OR”pocd”:ab, tiOR”cognitive dysfunction”:ab, ti#2:”near infrared spectroscopy”:ab, ti OR”cerebral oximetry”:ab, tiOR”cerebral oxygen saturation”:ab, ti OR”regional cerebral oxygensaturation”:ab, ti#3:#1 AND#2


## 2.2. Document Information Extraction and Data Conversion

After determining the included literature, two evaluators study the included research, respectively, and extract the data in the literature for analysis. The data to be extracted include (1) 7 references were performed using RevMan 5.4.1—(The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark): graft failure; graft diameter; IKDC score; Lysholm score; Tegner Score. (2) The data extraction of experimental results, the number of people with POCD, and the change value of intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation during continuous monitoring of cerebral oxygen saturation. There are many statistical indicators involved in extracting the data of research results. Ideally, the extracted data just meet the requirements of meta-analysis. However, if it is not satisfied and needs to be used in meta-analysis, data conversion is required.


## 2.3. Quality Evaluation

Two commentators independently evaluated the quality of all the included literature. This scale has been used in the methodological quality evaluation training of case-control study by Cochrane Collaboration Network. It only includes 8 items, and the score of 10 is simple and easy to use. Among them, there are 4 items (one point for each item, a total of 4 points), 1 item for intergroup comparability (2 points), and 3 items for exposure factor measurement (one point for each item, a total of 3 points). The total score is 9 points. Each document is scored according to each item of NOS, from 0 (low quality) to 9 (high quality), and more than 5 points are defined as high-quality documents.Regarding preoperative cognitive dysfunction scales, only case-control study was included to observing the relationship between postoperative cognitive dysfunction and intraoperative brain oxygen saturation reduction belongs to a. The NOS evaluation standard of the case-control study can be adopted. The specific evaluation criteria of the NOS scale are as follows (if the standard is met, this item will be given a score, including 2 points for comparability between groups and 1 point for others). IfP≤0.1 or 12>50%, the reasons for heterogeneity should be analyzed first. If the heterogeneity is caused by these reasons, subgroup analysis needs to be used to continue the calculation of consolidated statistics. If several similar studies still have heterogeneity after analysis and processing by this method, the random effect model can be used to calculate the combined statistics. It is worth noting that the random effect model is used to statistically process heterogeneous data, not to replace the analysis of the causes of heterogeneity.


## 2.4. Combined Statistics and Test of Combined Statistics

Meta-analysis should combine the results of multiple similar studies into a single effect quantity, that is, a combined statistic is used to reflect the comprehensive effect of multiple similar studies. The data indicators to be analyzed in this study are continuous variables, so mean Di difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) can be selected as the consolidation statistics, and then the consolidation statistics can be used to describe the consolidation results of multiple studies. No matter what method is used to calculate the combined statistics, hypothesis test is required to test whether the combined statistics calculated by multiple similar studies are statistically significant. Generally,ZU test is commonly used, and the probability value (P) of this statistic is obtained according to the value of ZU. If P≤0.05, the combined statistics of multiple studies are statistically significant, while P>0.05, the combined statistics of multiple studies are not statistically significant. In addition to the ZU test, the hypothesis test of combined statistics can also use the confidence interval method. For example, when the test effect index is MD or SMI and its value is equal to 0, the test effect is invalid. At this time, if its 95% confidence interval contains 0, it is equivalent to P>0.05, which means there is no statistical significance.


## 3. Results

### 3.1. General Characteristics of Included Literature

As shown in the document screening flow chart in Figure1, a total of 267 documents were retrieved in four mainstream English databases. By reading the titles and abstracts of all literatures, 220 literatures were preliminarily screened out, and the remaining 34 literatures were obtained. In strict accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 23 literatures without original data, review, and unable to obtain the full text were screened out. The remaining 24 literatures continued to read the full text, and 17 literatures without a clear control group were screened out. Finally, 7 literatures were included in this meta-analysis which met the inclusion criteria.Figure 1
Literature screening process.


### 3.2. Literature Quality Evaluation

The seven selected literatures involved the evaluation of the changes of intraoperative mean cerebral oxygen saturation in patients with POCD compared with patients without POCD, that is, the case group was the population with postoperative cognitive dysfunction. The NOS scale of case-control study was used to evaluate the quality of all the included literature (Table1).Table 1
Literature quality evaluation.
The first authorYearnType of surgeryNOS scoreSchmittel201687Spinal operation6Hanna2008100Cardiosurgery8Lara201450Intestinal surgery6Noda201578Knee prosthesis6Zatloukal2016168Gastric operation6Shi Y201269Hip surgery6Rong Lin201246Hip surgery6


### 3.3. Relationship between Postoperative Cognitive Impairment and Intraoperative Decrease of Cerebral Oxygen Saturation

A total of 7 randomized controlled trials and 564 POCD patients were included in the study, with follow-up duration of 1-12 months. The forest map shows thatI2 in this study is 55%, suggesting that there is heterogeneity in the study. Therefore, the random effect model is used to calculate the total effect SMD. The total effect amount SMD calculated by software is -0.57, suggesting that the mean value of intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation in patients with POCD is less than that in patients without POCD, and the results are statistically significant (Figure 2).Figure 2
Relationship between postoperative cognitive impairment and intraoperative decrease of cerebral oxygen saturation.


### 3.4. Source Analysis of Heterogeneity

Because there are only 7 literatures included in this study, sensitivity analysis can be used to judge the source of heterogeneity, as shown in the sensitivity analysis forest map in Figures3 and 4, after excluding Noda’s study, 12=28%. The average POCD of elderly patients in surgery and nonsurgery group was significantly lower than that of elderly patients (POCD<0.05).Figure 3
Subgroup analysis of different age groups.Figure 4
Subgroup analysis of the different types of surgery.


## 3.1. General Characteristics of Included Literature

As shown in the document screening flow chart in Figure1, a total of 267 documents were retrieved in four mainstream English databases. By reading the titles and abstracts of all literatures, 220 literatures were preliminarily screened out, and the remaining 34 literatures were obtained. In strict accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 23 literatures without original data, review, and unable to obtain the full text were screened out. The remaining 24 literatures continued to read the full text, and 17 literatures without a clear control group were screened out. Finally, 7 literatures were included in this meta-analysis which met the inclusion criteria.Figure 1
Literature screening process.


## 3.2. Literature Quality Evaluation

The seven selected literatures involved the evaluation of the changes of intraoperative mean cerebral oxygen saturation in patients with POCD compared with patients without POCD, that is, the case group was the population with postoperative cognitive dysfunction. The NOS scale of case-control study was used to evaluate the quality of all the included literature (Table1).Table 1
Literature quality evaluation.
The first authorYearnType of surgeryNOS scoreSchmittel201687Spinal operation6Hanna2008100Cardiosurgery8Lara201450Intestinal surgery6Noda201578Knee prosthesis6Zatloukal2016168Gastric operation6Shi Y201269Hip surgery6Rong Lin201246Hip surgery6


## 3.3. Relationship between Postoperative Cognitive Impairment and Intraoperative Decrease of Cerebral Oxygen Saturation

A total of 7 randomized controlled trials and 564 POCD patients were included in the study, with follow-up duration of 1-12 months. The forest map shows thatI2 in this study is 55%, suggesting that there is heterogeneity in the study. Therefore, the random effect model is used to calculate the total effect SMD. The total effect amount SMD calculated by software is -0.57, suggesting that the mean value of intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation in patients with POCD is less than that in patients without POCD, and the results are statistically significant (Figure 2).Figure 2
Relationship between postoperative cognitive impairment and intraoperative decrease of cerebral oxygen saturation.


## 3.4. Source Analysis of Heterogeneity

Because there are only 7 literatures included in this study, sensitivity analysis can be used to judge the source of heterogeneity, as shown in the sensitivity analysis forest map in Figures3 and 4, after excluding Noda’s study, 12=28%. The average POCD of elderly patients in surgery and nonsurgery group was significantly lower than that of elderly patients (POCD<0.05).Figure 3
Subgroup analysis of different age groups.Figure 4
Subgroup analysis of the different types of surgery.


## 4. Discussion

POCD can be broadly considered as a series of changes in patients’ behavior and neurocognitive status weeks or even months after anesthesia and surgery, which is based on information from previous studies. Generally, POCD is also related to patients’ cognitive deficits before surgery, and POCD affects patients’ quality of life to varying degrees. The fifth edition of the diagnostic and Statistical Manual of mental disorders does not treat POCD as a separate disease [9]. The diagnosis of POCD requires sensitive preoperative and postoperative neuropsychological examination. In the POCD international multicenter study, more than a quarter of patients undergoing noncardiac surgery had memory loss one week after surgery, while 10% had symptoms three months later [10]. So far, we are conscious that the functional stability of the central nervous system depends on the adequate supply of oxygen and blood, the effective removal of waste, and the sufficient homeostasis of the internal environment. Any mechanism that leads to hypoxia, hypoglycemia, or affects the metabolic state of the brain and its overall homeostasis may lead to neurological dysfunction [11]. Monitoring regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) in noncardiac surgery has been shown to play an important role in reducing the occurrence of POCD.Whether effective reduction occurred, subgroup analysis of patient age and operation type was displayed in the retrieved literature [12].It is well known that the risk factors of POCD include history of neurological diseases, old age, high degree of atherosclerosis, and high degree of carotid stenosis [13]. However, Cascella et al.’s study included patients with a relatively low age and excluded patients with a high degree of atherosclerosis, a history of neurological diseases and significant carotid stenosis. In addition, all patients in this study were monitored intraoperatively, so the incidence of POCD in Cascella et al.’s research results is lower than that in other studies. Due to the defects of its experimental design, the research results are not comparable with the other six literature included in this meta-analysis. In order to increase the reliability and reference value of the research, this meta-analysis excluded Cascella et al.’s study [14]. Cerebrovascular resistance is controlled by pH of extracellular fluid around cerebrovascular, and pac0 has the greatest impact on cerebral blood flow [14]. In the range of 20-60 mmHg, the cerebral blood flow increases or decreases by about 1 ml/l00g/min when PaCO2 increases or decreases by l mmHg. Cerebral hypoxia may occur when cerebral oxygen demand increases or cerebral oxygen supply decreases [15, 16].Of the 7 literatures included in this meta-analysis, 6 studied patients are undergoing noncardiac surgery, including 2 abdominal surgery and 4 orthopedic surgery. The mean value of intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation in patients with POCD after abdominal surgery was significantly lower than that in patients without POCD. The results were statistically significant, and the homogeneity of the results was very high [17]. Average, intraoperative cerebral oxygen saturation of POCD patients was also significantly lower than those without POCD after plastic surgery. This is further detected that POCD is correlated with intraoperative rSO2 [18]. The reduction of rSO2 can predict the occurrence of POCD. A prospective single-blind study showed that 76 patients with thoracic surgery got lung ventilation (OLV) included [19]. Expected during OLV is greater than 45 minutes. The surgeon and anesthesiologist could not observe the measured value of the cerebral blood oxygen and perform no measures to improve cerebral oxygen saturation. Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) test is used to evaluate neurocognitive function before and after operation 24 hours a day. Spearman correlation analysis was used to test the cerebral oxygen saturation and the relationship between the postoperative cognitive dysfunction [20]. The results of this study indicated that about a third of the patients got cerebral oxygen desaturation during OLV thoracic surgery. rSO2 has decreased by more than 25% from the baseline. About a third of the patients showed significant postoperative early postoperative cognitive dysfunction, but 90% of people return to normal cognitive function after operation 24 hours a day [21].This meta-analysis still has its limitations. First of all, among the seven literatures included in this study, there is only one literature for young patients with cardiac surgery and postoperative POCD. The relationship between POCD and postoperative brain saturation may be included in the literature. In addition, most of the literature in this meta-analysis uses only the MMSE scale for diagnosis of POCD. MMSE scale is simple, and patients can easily handle to monitor the postoperative cognitive function.


## 5. Conclusion

Lower intraoperativersO2 was associated with reduced incidence of neurological complications and renal alure as well as the length of stay in the intensive care unit and the total hospital stay.



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