Early versus late extubation after coronary artery bypass grafting: effects on cognitive function.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of a short period of mechanical ventilation and sedation and a longer one on cognitive functioning of patients exposed to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).


METHODS
A randomized, prospective study.


METHODS
Tertiary-care university hospital.


METHODS
Forty-eight adult patients with surgical coronary artery disease.


METHODS
Elective coronary artery bypass surgery.


RESULTS
Patients (n = 48; mean age, 60.12+/-9.30 years) were randomized to either group I (mean delay, 3.49+/-2.21 hours) or group II (mean delay, 10.32+/-1.75 hours). Cognitive functioning was evaluated before surgery, postoperatively, and at the 8-week follow-up. Tests included measures of central nervous system integrity, attention/concentration and psychomotor performance, verbal fluency, visual scanning speed, mental flexibility, auditory and visual attention, and verbal memory. Covariance analyses were used for group comparisons. Covariates were age, education, and baseline or postoperative performance. No differences in cognitive functioning were found between the two groups. Globally, performance deteriorated for 34.1% of the patients at the posttest evaluation, whereas 2.3% improved and 63.6% remained unchanged. At follow-up, nearly 40.5% of the patients showed an improvement from baseline, 2.4% still had deficits, and 57.1% had no change. None of the cognitive functions appeared to be more affected than others.


CONCLUSIONS
Early extubation and a shortened period of anesthesia/analgesia do not appear to positively or negatively affect cognitive functioning at 3 to 5 days and 8 weeks postoperatively. Early extubation is suggested because it has no deleterious effect (besides the low risk for reintubation) and it may facilitate patients' care in the intensive care unit.
Dumas
A
A
Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada.
Dupuis
G H
GH
Searle
N
N
Cartier
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000698:Analgesia; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000601:surgery; D004522:Educational Status; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives