General anesthesia increases the risk of dementia in elderly patients
Yuri Shustov, Medlinks.ru According to Medical News Today: General Anesthesia Raises Dementia Risk Among Elderly Patients
The risk of developing dementia in elderly patients who have been subjected to general anesthesia increases by 35%, scientists from the University of Bordeaux in France concluded. The results of the study were presented at the annual Congress of the European Society of Anesthesiology (ESA).
The lead author of the work, Dr. Francois Sztark, explained that postoperative cognitive dysfunction, which is a frequent consequence of surgical intervention, can later lead to dementia.
Experts believe that postoperative cognitive dysfunction is associated with dementia, since both diseases develop by a common mechanism: plaques of beta-amyloid protein appear in nerve cells. Even previous studies on a similar topic have demonstrated that anesthetics cause inflammation in nerve tissues, leading to postoperative cognitive dysfunction and Alzheimer's disease. However, until now, no one has been sure whether postoperative cognitive dysfunction is a precursor to dementia. Stark and his colleagues analyzed the risk of dementia associated with general anesthesia.
Scientists observed patients whose average age was 65 years, of which 62% were women. The work was carried out in the period from 1999 to 2001. In total, the study involved 9,294 people living in Bordeaux, Dijon and Montpellier, who had a high risk of developing dementia and other cognitive disorders due to vascular disorders.
Participants were asked various questions about their health and life at the beginning of the study, as well as 2, 4, 7 and 10 years later. In addition, each examination included comprehensive testing of cognitive abilities. Two years after the start of the study, 7,008 participants did not suffer from dementia.
2309 (33%) people underwent surgery under anesthesia, of which 1333 (19%) – under general anesthesia and 948 (14%) – under local anesthesia. In the next 8 years, dementia developed in 632 people (9%), and in 248 of these people, experts assumed Alzheimer's disease with varying degrees of probability, and in another 120 - varieties of dementia. Among patients with impaired cognitive functions, 37% underwent anesthesia, including 22% — general anesthesia. Among people without mental disabilities, there were 32% and 19%, respectively.
Ultimately, taking into account various factors, such as socio-economic status and family medical history, the scientists concluded that patients who underwent at least one operation under general anesthesia had a 35% increased risk of developing dementia compared to patients who did not undergo general anesthesia.
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