CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03988179RAPIDUpdated Jun 17, 2019

Predicting Delirium by Attentional Dysfunction

An observational study in Delirium in Old Age, sponsored by Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA). Completed. Open to participants aged 70 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-06-17.

Sponsored by Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA) · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
172
Ages
70 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Rationale: Delirium is a common complication that occurs in various medical conditions. Validated models predicting delirium in individual patients are scarce and existing models tend to focus on demographic characteristics and comorbid conditions exclusively. Previous research has suggested that impairment of attentional function might serve as an early and specific individual predictor of incident delirium. Utilization of a test measuring attentional function in a clinically easy-to-use tool could potentially yield a pathophysiological monitor to identify individual patients at risk of evolving delirium and target future prophylactic treatment.

Objective: To assess the difference in preoperative intra-individual reaction time variability between postoperative delirium and non-delirium elderly non-dementia patients undergoing elective surgery. Study design: An observational prospective cohort study.

Study population: Elderly patients (70 years or older) undergoing elective surgery.

Main study parameters/endpoints: Preoperative intra-individual reaction time variability among postoperative non-delirium and delirium patients.

Read the detailed description

Delirium is a common complication that occurs in various medical conditions. Development of delirium during admission is associated with an increase in length of hospital stay, complication rates, mortality and consequently higher healthcare expenditures. Besides these short-term consequences, delirium is detrimental to long-term outcome with an ensuing higher risk of dementia, institutionalization and death.

Development of delirium is associated with increasing age. The risk for postoperative delirium among elderly patients ranges from 4%-53%. Incidence differs between different surgical procedures and between emergency or elective surgery. A systematic review comparing general to regional anaesthetic procedures did not show significant differences in the risk for developing postoperative delirium.

Although an array of risk factors associated with development of delirium has been identified in numerous studies, validated models predicting delirium in individual patients are scarce.

Moreover, existing models tend to focus on demographic characteristics and comorbid conditions exclusively. Models predicting development of delirium by using individual pathophysiological markers involved in the evolution of delirium are absent.

Previous research has suggested that impairment of attentional function might serve as an early and specific individual predictor of incident delirium, even in previously cognitively undisturbed patients. So far only one study has prospectively assessed preoperative intra-individual reaction time variability as a predictor of postoperative delirium. This study was limited to elderly (age 70 years or older) patients undergoing elective hip and knee replacement and did not examine confounding factors such as preoperative use of (anti-cholinergic) drugs, preoperative presence of symptoms of depression, cognitive decline or impairment in activities of daily living making. Although this study showed significant higher preoperative intra-individual reaction time variability among patients developing postoperative delirium, no attempts to reproduce these findings in other surgical populations have been published to date, limiting external validity and practical implementation of these observations.

The investigators hypothesize that preoperative intra-individual reaction-time variability is an independent predictor of postoperative delirium. In this study the investigators aim at assessing the potential of preoperative administration of a short test of attentional function in predicting postoperative delirium in a population of elderly non-dementia patients undergoing major elective surgery. Utilization of a test measuring attentional function in a clinically easy-to-use tool could potentially yield a pathophysiological monitor to preoperatively identify individual patients undergoing elective surgery who are at an increased risk of evolving delirium and create a target for future prophylactic treatment.

02

Conditions studied

  • Delirium in Old Age

Browse trials for

Keywords

  • Attention
  • Attentional dysfunction
  • Delirium
  • Preoperative
03

In context

Delirium

1,057 studies on the registry are indexed under Delirium; 238 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 172 is below the median of 200 across 418 observational studies indexed under Delirium.

Browse Delirium studies →

Lead sponsor

Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA) is the lead sponsor of 512 studies on the registry; 178 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
70 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Sampling method
Probability sample

Study population

Elderly non-dementia patients undergoing major elective surgery.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 70 years or older
  • Elective surgery involving thoracotomy, major abdominal surgery (e.g. esophageal, gastric, hepatic, pancreatic, colorectal resection by either laparotomy or laparoscopic approach), major pelvic surgery (e.g. radical cystectomy, radical hysterectomy), or major orthopedic surgery (e.g. knee or hip replacement)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Preceding diagnosis of dementia or Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale of 1 or more
  • Language barrier enough to hamper informed consent and iPad instructions
  • Serious functional disability of the dominant hand (e.g. palsy, amputation, arthrodesis)
05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
172 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testThe Cholinesterase Inhibitor Prognosticator (ChIP) application for iPad

    The first part of this application will be used, consisting of a visual vigilance test based on the Continuous Performance Test (CPT). Stimuli consist of a one digit number presented in the middle of the screen. For each trial the application randomly selects a specific number as the target stimulus. Patients are instructed to keep their dominant trigger finger close to the screen and press a button which is located at the bottom of the screen, whenever the target appears. In case another stimulus appears the patient is instructed to do nothing. Each stimulus is presented until the patient presses the button (maximum 3 sec.). Stimuli are presented in a random fashion with a 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 second inter-stimuli-interval blank, which randomly varies. After an 8 stimuli practice trial, the test starts and a total of 50 stimuli are presented with a 50% target rate. Full-trial duration is approximately 5 minutes. During the trial, reaction time and accuracy of response are registered.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Preoperative intra-individual reaction time variability.

    To assess the difference in preoperative intra-individual reaction time variability between postoperative delirium and non-delirium elderly non-dementia patients undergoing elective surgery.

    Time frame: 02-2014 / 06-2015

Secondary outcomes

  1. Preoperative individual accuracy of reaction time response.

    To assess the difference in preoperative accuracy of response on a reaction time test between postoperative delirium and non-delirium elderly non-dementia patients undergoing elective surgery.

    Time frame: 02-2014 / 06-2015

  2. Association between intra-individual reaction time variability on the ChIP application for iPad and development of delirium, defined as a positive score on the CAM on any given moment during the first 5 days postoperatively.

    For each subject preoperative intra-individual reaction time variability will be determined using the standard deviation (SD) of individual preoperative reaction times (continuous variable). To determine the association between preoperative intra-individual reaction time variability and development of postoperative delirium odds ratios (OR) along with 95% confidence intervals (CI) will be calculated using multivariate logistic regression. A cut-off will be made at 1 SD above total group mean average for scores on intra-individual reaction time. Presence of delirium will be defined as a positive score on the CAM on any given moment during the first 5 days postoperatively.

    Time frame: 02-2014 / 06-2015

  3. Association between accuracy of reaction time response on the ChIP application for iPad and delirium, defined as a positive score on the CAM on any given moment during the first 5 days postoperatively.

    For each subject preoperative individual accuracy of reaction time response will be determined by the total of target stimuli missed (continuous variable). To determine the association between individual accuracy of response and development of postoperative delirium odds ratios (OR) along with 95% confidence intervals (CI) will be calculated using multivariate logistic regression. A cut-off will be made at 1 SD above total group mean average for scores on individual accuracy of response. Presence of delirium will be defined as a positive score on the CAM on any given moment during the first 5 days postoperatively.

    Time frame: 02-2014 / 06-2015

  4. Sensitivity and specificity of a combined index of preoperative intra-individual reaction time variability and accuracy of response in predicting delirium.

    To determine the sensitivity and specificity of a combined index of preoperative reaction time variability and accuracy of response in predicting postoperative delirium among elderly non-dementia patients undergoing elective surgery.

    Time frame: 02-2014 / 06-2015

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 17, 2019, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03988179
Lead sponsor
Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)
Collaborators
ZonMw: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development
Responsible party
W ten Hoope (Prof. dr. W.A. van Gool, MD, PhD, Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 17, 2019
Start date
Apr 4, 2014
Primary completion
May 15, 2015
Completion
May 23, 2015
Last update
Jun 17, 2019

Study contacts

W. A. van Gool, MD, PhD
principal investigator · Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2019. 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