CClinicalTrials.gg
Status unknownNCT02767713CDCSUpdated May 10, 2016

Cognitive Dysfunction Following Cardiac Surgery

A Phase 4 interventional study of Dexamethasone and Placebo in Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction, sponsored by Clinical Hospital Center, Split. Status unknown. Open to participants aged 40 Years to 85 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2016-05-10.

Sponsored by Clinical Hospital Center, Split · Phase 4, Interventional, and Prevention

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified May 2016), so the status shown — last known as Active, not recruiting — may be out of date.
Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
171
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
40 Years to 85 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is the most common complication after cardiac surgery. This prospective study was conducted to investigate the mechanisms of development of POCD following cardiac surgery taking into account surgical technique (with use or no use of extracorporeal circulation). The investigators focused on the role of inflammatory and stress response to surgical procedure as potential factors involved in the pathogenesis of cognitive dysfunction. Systematic inflammatory response in patients undergoing on-pump or off-pump surgery was analyzed by measuring serum levels of C reactive protein (CRP) and occurrence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Stress response to surgery was evaluated following cortisol levels and its daily variations. The degree of cognitive dysfunction was assessed based on serum levels of S100β. The effect of dexamethasone on the levels of stress and inflammatory response biomarkers, serum levels of S100β, as well as on the development of POCD was compared with control group that received normal saline.

Read the detailed description

This is a prospective, randomized, double blind, controlled trial. Following detailed past medical history assessment, two days before the surgical procedure neurocognitive function tests, depression and anxiety tests were carried out to assess the participants. Neurocognitive and anxiety tests were repeated on the 6th day after surgical procedure. A battery of tests lasting approximately 40 minutes were administered by a trained neuropsychologist from the Clinical Hospital Center, Split in a standardized fashion, at the same time of the day (10:00 AM) and in the same room at the Cardiac surgery ward. The investigators used a validated battery of tests which enabled the assessment of psychomotor speed, visual-motor coordination, concentration, attention, short-term memory and aspects of executive functioning. The evaluation was based on the following tests: Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS I \& II), Trail Making Test (TMT A \& B), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT) and PsychE computer test. All of the tests except TMT A \& B have alternate forms. Croatian versions of Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI II) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-M) were used for preoperative depression and trait and state anxiety assessment, respectively.

One day before the surgery (08:00 AM) blood samples were collected for determination of levels of S100β protein, cortisol and other routine laboratory parameters (white blood cell count (WBC), hematocrit, creatinine, glucose, albumin, sodium, potassium, C reactive protein (CRP), Troponin I hs).

Participants were randomized into two groups to receive either intravenous dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg or the same volume of normal saline i.v. 10 hours before the surgery. Random sequence generator was used to determine participant allocation.

Anesthesia in all patients was based on fentanyl, midazolam, vecuronium and sevoflurane. The depth of anesthesia was monitored using bispectral index (BIS). During cardiopulmonary bypass alpha-stat technique was used with the maintenance of normothermia (35.5-36.5°C) or spontaneous hypothermia (up to 32°C). With the off-pump technique, the core temperature was maintained between 36 and 37°C. Surgical technique was standardized. Routine hemodynamic monitoring was performed throughout the surgery and continued on the first postoperative day. Plasma levels of S100β protein were determined 6 h and 30 h following the end of on-pump surgery, and 3 h following the end of off-pump surgery. C reactive protein levels and other routine laboratory parameters were measured from blood samples collected 1 h, 4 h and 12 h postoperatively. On the first postoperative day blood samples were collected at 08:00 AM to determine cortisol levels, C reactive protein and other routine laboratory parameters, and cortisol was also measured on the same day at 04:00 PM, and 12:00 AM. C reactive protein and other routine laboratory parameters were repeatedly measured at 08:00 AM on the following postoperative days, except for cortisol levels which were measured on postoperative days 3 and 5. Registered nurse carried out the standardized test (Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOS) scale) to assess the patients for the development of postoperative delirium from second to fifth postoperative day (at 07:00 AM, 02:00 PM and 10:00 PM).

02

Conditions studied

  • Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction

Keywords

  • Cognition Disorders
  • Cardiac Surgical Procedures
  • dexamethasone
03

In context

Postoperative Cognitive Complications

264 studies on the registry are indexed under Postoperative Cognitive Complications; 54 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 171 is above the median of 110 across 147 interventional studies indexed under Postoperative Cognitive Complications.

Browse Postoperative Cognitive Complications studies →

Lead sponsor

Clinical Hospital Center, Split is the lead sponsor of 5 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
40 Years to 85 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Participants undergoing cardiac surgery: coronary artery bypass grafting, heart valve surgery or a combined procedure,
  • Procedure must be elective

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Symptomatic cerebrovascular disease,
  • Cerebrovascular incident in last 3 years,
  • Neurodegenerative disease,
  • Psychiatric disease,
  • Visual, hearing or motor impairment interfering with cognitive testing,
  • Carotid artery stenosis ( ≥50%),
  • Myocardial infarction within last 3 months,
  • Left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤35%,
  • Previous cardiac or carotid surgery,
  • Uncontrolled systemic hypertension (blood pressure≥180/110 mmHg),
  • Corticosteroid-dependent asthma,
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
  • Malignancy, liver disease (aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) or bilirubin ˃1.5x above reference range),
  • Kidney disease (serum creatinine ˃1.7 mg/dl or blood urea nitrogen ˃50 mg/dL),
  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (postprandial glucose ˃200 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c ˃9%),
  • Endocrine and metabolic diseases, requiring steroid treatment longer than 7 days in the past year,
  • Alcohol or controlled substance abuse,
  • Individuals without primary school education,
  • Preoperative C reactive protein ˃0.5 mg/dL,
  • Preoperative white blood cell count \<3 x109/L or ˃11 x109/L,
  • Preoperative Mini mental score \<26 points,
  • Preoperative Beck's depression inventory score ˃ 19 points,
  • Intraoperative plan change (conversion from "off-pump" to "on-pump" and vice versa),
  • Need for deep hypothermic circulatory arrest,
  • Additional corticosteroid treatment throughout the study period.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Triple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator)
Enrollment
171 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Dexamethasone

    Dexamethasone dose of 0.1 mg/kg was administered intravenously 10h before surgery

    Drug: Dexamethasone

  • Placebo comparator
    Control

    Equal volume of normal saline (placebo) was administered intravenously 10h before surgery

    Other: Placebo

Interventions

  • DrugDexamethasone

    Intravenous dexamethasone (0.1 mg/kg) was administered 10 hours before surgery.

    Also known as: Dexasone

  • OtherPlacebo

    Normal saline (placebo) in the equal volume as active treatment was administered 10 hours before surgery.

    Also known as: Inactive substance

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Difference in occurrence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction between control and intervention group at six days after surgery as determined by using a validated battery of cognitive tests

    Difference in occurrence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction between control and intervention group at sixth postoperative day as determined by using a validated battery of cognitive tests that assess global cognitive function, psychomotor speed, visual-motor coordination, concentration, attention, short-term memory, learning curve and aspects of executive functioning. Time points of assessment are two days before surgery and six days after surgery in both study arms.

    Time frame: 9 days

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in serum levels of S100β protein from baseline to first postoperative day

    Serum levels of S100β protein were determined the day before surgery at 08:00 AM; 6 h and 30 h following the end of on-pump surgery; and 3 h following the end of off-pump surgery.

    Time frame: 3 days

  2. Difference in S100β serum protein levels between control and intervention group on the day of surgery and first postoperative day

    Time frame: 7 days

  3. Change in serum cortisol levels from baseline to fifth postoperative day

    Cortisol levels were determined on the day before surgery at 08:00 AM; on the first postoperative day at 08:00 AM, 04:00 PM, and 12:00 AM; and at 08:00 AM on the third and fifth postoperative days.

    Time frame: 7 days

  4. Difference in serum cortisol levels between control and intervention group on the first, third and fifth postoperative days

    Time frame: 7 days

  5. Change in serum C reactive protein levels from baseline to fifth postoperative day

    Baseline CRP levels were determined on the day before surgery at 08:00 AM, 1 h, 4 h and 12 h postoperatively; and at 08:00 AM from the first until fifth postoperative day.

    Time frame: 7 days

  6. Difference in serum C reactive protein levels between control and intervention group on the day of surgery until the fifth postoperative day

    Time frame: 7 days

  7. Difference in occurrence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome between control and intervention group within 48 h after surgery as determined by measuring body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, and white blood cell count.

    Time frame: 48 hours

  8. Difference in occurrence of postoperative delirium between control and intervention group as determined from second until sixth postoperative day by using Delirium Observation Screening Scale

    Time frame: 5 days

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Publications

  • Ottens TH, Dieleman JM, Sauer AM, Peelen LM, Nierich AP, de Groot WJ, Nathoe HM, Buijsrogge MP, Kalkman CJ, van Dijk D; DExamethasone for Cardiac Surgery (DECS) Study Group. Effects of dexamethasone on cognitive decline after cardiac surgery: a randomized clinical trial. Anesthesiology. 2014 Sep;121(3):492-500. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000000336. PubMed 25225745 ↗
  • Newman MF, Kirchner JL, Phillips-Bute B, Gaver V, Grocott H, Jones RH, Mark DB, Reves JG, Blumenthal JA; Neurological Outcome Research Group and the Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Research Endeavors Investigators. Longitudinal assessment of neurocognitive function after coronary-artery bypass surgery. N Engl J Med. 2001 Feb 8;344(6):395-402. doi: 10.1056/NEJM200102083440601. Erratum In: N Engl J Med 2001 Jun 14;344(24):1876. PubMed 11172175 ↗
  • Roach GW, Kanchuger M, Mangano CM, Newman M, Nussmeier N, Wolman R, Aggarwal A, Marschall K, Graham SH, Ley C. Adverse cerebral outcomes after coronary bypass surgery. Multicenter Study of Perioperative Ischemia Research Group and the Ischemia Research and Education Foundation Investigators. N Engl J Med. 1996 Dec 19;335(25):1857-63. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199612193352501. PubMed 8948560 ↗
  • Hudetz JA, Gandhi SD, Iqbal Z, Patterson KM, Pagel PS. Elevated postoperative inflammatory biomarkers are associated with short- and medium-term cognitive dysfunction after coronary artery surgery. J Anesth. 2011 Feb;25(1):1-9. doi: 10.1007/s00540-010-1042-y. PubMed 21061037 ↗
  • Rasmussen LS, O'Brien JT, Silverstein JH, Johnson TW, Siersma VD, Canet J, Jolles J, Hanning CD, Kuipers HM, Abildstrom H, Papaioannou A, Raeder J, Yli-Hankala A, Sneyd JR, Munoz L, Moller JT; ISPOCD2 Investigators. Is peri-operative cortisol secretion related to post-operative cognitive dysfunction? Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2005 Oct;49(9):1225-31. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2005.00791.x. PubMed 16146456 ↗
  • Mu DL, Li LH, Wang DX, Li N, Shan GJ, Li J, Yu QJ, Shi CX. High postoperative serum cortisol level is associated with increased risk of cognitive dysfunction early after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a prospective cohort study. PLoS One. 2013 Oct 15;8(10):e77637. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077637. eCollection 2013. PubMed 24143249 ↗
  • Phillips-Bute B, Mathew JP, Blumenthal JA, Grocott HP, Laskowitz DT, Jones RH, Mark DB, Newman MF. Association of neurocognitive function and quality of life 1 year after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Psychosom Med. 2006 May-Jun;68(3):369-75. doi: 10.1097/01.psy.0000221272.77984.e2. PubMed 16738066 ↗
  • Jensen BO, Hughes P, Rasmussen LS, Pedersen PU, Steinbruchel DA. Cognitive outcomes in elderly high-risk patients after off-pump versus conventional coronary artery bypass grafting: a randomized trial. Circulation. 2006 Jun 20;113(24):2790-5. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.105.587931. Epub 2006 Jun 12. PubMed 16769915 ↗
  • Parolari A, Camera M, Alamanni F, Naliato M, Polvani GL, Agrifoglio M, Brambilla M, Biancardi C, Mussoni L, Biglioli P, Tremoli E. Systemic inflammation after on-pump and off-pump coronary bypass surgery: a one-month follow-up. Ann Thorac Surg. 2007 Sep;84(3):823-8. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2007.04.048. PubMed 17720383 ↗
  • Canet J, Raeder J, Rasmussen LS, Enlund M, Kuipers HM, Hanning CD, Jolles J, Korttila K, Siersma VD, Dodds C, Abildstrom H, Sneyd JR, Vila P, Johnson T, Munoz Corsini L, Silverstein JH, Nielsen IK, Moller JT; ISPOCD2 investigators. Cognitive dysfunction after minor surgery in the elderly. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2003 Nov;47(10):1204-10. doi: 10.1046/j.1399-6576.2003.00238.x. PubMed 14616316 ↗
  • Ernest CS, Worcester MU, Tatoulis J, Elliott PC, Murphy BM, Higgins RO, Le Grande MR, Goble AJ. Neurocognitive outcomes in off-pump versus on-pump bypass surgery: a randomized controlled trial. Ann Thorac Surg. 2006 Jun;81(6):2105-14. doi: 10.1016/j.athoracsur.2006.01.008. PubMed 16731138 ↗
  • Glumac S, Kardum G, Sodic L, Bulat C, Covic I, Carev M, Karanovic N. Longitudinal assessment of preoperative dexamethasone administration on cognitive function after cardiac surgery: a 4-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Anesthesiol. 2021 Apr 23;21(1):129. doi: 10.1186/s12871-021-01348-z. PubMed 33892653 ↗
  • Glumac S, Kardum G, Sodic L, Supe-Domic D, Karanovic N. Effects of dexamethasone on early cognitive decline after cardiac surgery: A randomised controlled trial. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2017 Nov;34(11):776-784. doi: 10.1097/EJA.0000000000000647. PubMed 28985195 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 10, 2016, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02767713
Lead sponsor
Clinical Hospital Center, Split
Responsible party
Sandro Glumac (MD, Clinical Hospital Center, Split) — Principal investigator
First posted
May 10, 2016
Start date
Mar 2015
Primary completion
Jan 2016
Completion
Dec 2016 (estimated)
Last update
May 10, 2016

Study contacts

Nenad Karanovic, MD, PhD
study director · Clinical Hospital Center, Split

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is status unknown, as verified in May 2016. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion