title: [Influence of general anesthetics on the incidence of postoperative delirium in the elderly].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postoperative delirium increases the morbidity and mortality in elderly patients. The present study was carried out to evaluate whether the difference of anesthetics has influence on the incidence of postoperative delirium, retrospectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among the patients undergoing surgical procedure aged above 75 years, in seventy one patients anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane (group S), and 38 with propofol (group P). The incidence of delirium postoperatively was obtained retrospectively from their medical chart. The delirium was diagnosed with the confusion assessment method diagnostic algorithm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of postoperative delirium of group P (15.8%) was significantly lower than that of group S (38.0%, P=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Propofol anesthesia decreases postoperative delirium in elderly patients compared with sevoflurane anesthesia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Sasebo City General Hospital, Sasebo 857-8511.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: Daiji
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Akiyama
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Tetsuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Makita
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sumikawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D018681:Anesthetics, General; D003693:Delirium / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015742:Propofol; D000077149:Sevoflurane
chemical_list: D018681:Anesthetics, General; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D015742:Propofol