Modified Frailty Index Independently Predicts Postoperative Delirium and Delayed Neurocognitive Recovery After Elective Total Joint Arthroplasty

Postoperative delirium (POD) and delayed neurocognitive recovery are 2 common subtypes of postoperative neurocognitive disorders that occur after total joint arthroplasty (TJA), associated with inferior surgical outcomes. The modified frailty index (mFI) reflects the status of physiologic decline and predicts adverse outcomes in various surgical patient cohorts. This study aims at examining the discriminatory value of the mFI to predict POD and delayed neurocognitive recovery after TJA.

The study includes 383 participants admitted for primary elective TJA under general anesthesia combined with inhalation agents over the period from January 2018 to December 2019. POD and delayed neurocognitive recovery, based on the criteria provided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (2013), were assessed for each enrolled patient. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to screen potential risk factors for POD and delayed neurocognitive recovery.

The total incidence of POD and the delayed neurocognitive recovery of this cohort were 17.2% (66/383) and 24.8% (95/383), respectively. Our data from the multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that a higher age (≥72 years) and a higher mFI level (≥0.18) were 2 independent risk factors for both POD and delayed neurocognitive recovery in elderly subjects after TJA.

The mFI may be a promising predictor for both POD and delayed neurocognitive recovery in elderly subjects following TJA. Preoperative mFI evaluation can be used for risk stratification and offers significant potential in clinical application.