The effect of perioperative cognitive training on postoperative delirium in older patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty: a prospective randomised trial

Abstract Objective This study investigated whether cognitive training (CT) ameliorates postoperative delirium (POD) in older patients undergoing total hip and knee arthroplasty. Methods This clinical trial was conducted from 18 February to 10 July 2023 and included individuals aged 60–79 who underwent elective total hip and knee arthroplasties with surgery durations ≤3 hours under general anaesthesia. Patients with preoperative cognitive dysfunction and dementia were excluded. The incidence of POD was compared between the CT and routine care (RC) groups as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included adverse events, postoperative pain within 48 hours, and POD characteristics. Results In this study, 122 individuals were divided into two groups. The overall incidence of POD was 8.2% (10 out of 122), with no significant difference between the two groups (9.8% for CT group vs. 6.6% for RC group; P = .509). Secondary outcomes also showed no significant difference between the two groups. The training time was less, and the compliance rate was poor in the CT group (4.0%). Nonetheless, the results revealed a significant difference in POD rates among CT subgroups, and a robust correlation was identified between CT sessions lasting less than the median duration of 12 minutes and the incidence of POD (P = .043). Conclusion The incidence of POD in older patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty may not be mitigated by CT. As POD was exclusively observed in patients with fewer CT sessions, it suggests that the compliance-recommended CT sessions may contribute to the POD.