Neopterin and mini-mental state examination scores, two independent risk factors for postoperative delirium in elderly patients with open abdominal surgery

Postoperative delirium is described as one of the most common complications for elderly patients with unknown pathophysiological pathways. In this present study, we analyzed the clinical and biochemical parameters in elderly patients with or without a delirium after open abdominal surgery to investigate the possible predicative factors for a delirium.Patients aged ≥60 years scheduled to undergo elective gastrointestinal tumor resection via laparotomy from July 2012 to June 2015 were enrolled in this study. Demographic and clinical data, characteristics of the surgical and anesthetic procedure, biochemical parameters were compared between patients with or without a delirium. Multivariate logistic regression testing was used for the evaluation of independent risk factors for postoperative delirium.Overall, 112 participants were enrolled in this study, 49 of which were diagnosed with postoperative delirium. Patients with a delirium had an older age (P = 0.013) and a lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (P < 0.01) compared with those patients who had no delirium. The duration of surgery and anesthesia, the levels of neopterin, C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, insulin-like growth factor-1 in patients with a delirium were significantly higher than those without a delirium (P < 0.05). Independent risk factors in the logistic regression for postoperative delirium were the levels of neopterin and MMSE scores.Our present study suggested the potential roles of neopterin and MMSE scores in the pathophysiology and prediction of delirium in elderly patients after open abdominal surgery.