The growing number of publications concerning postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) after cardiac surgery is indicative of the health-related and economic-related importance of this intriguing issue. Significantly, the reported POCD inciden...

Background: The pathogenesis of postoperative cognitive decline (POCD) is still poorly understood; however, the inflammatory response to surgical procedures seems likely to be involved. In addition, our recent randomized controlled trial showed that perioperative corticosteroid treatment may ameliorate early POCD after cardiac surgery. To assess the long-term effect of dexamethasone administration on cognitive function, we conducted a 4-year follow-up.Methods: The patients were randomized to receive a single intravenous bolus of 0.1 mg kg^− 1dexamethasone or placebo 10 h before elective cardiac surgery. The endpoint in both groups was POCD incidence on the 6th day and four years postoperatively.Results: Of the 161 patients analyzed previously, the current follow-up included 116 patients. Compared to the 62 patients in the placebo group, the 54 patients in the dexamethasone group showed a lower incidence of POCD on the 6th day (relative risk (RR), 0.510; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 0.241 to 1.079;p = 0.067, time interval also analyzed previously) and four years (RR, 0.459; 95 % CI, 0.192 to 1.100;p = 0.068) after cardiac surgery. The change in cognitive status between the two postoperative measurements was not significant (p = 0.010) among the patients in the dexamethasone group, in contrast to patients in the placebo group (p = 0.673).Conclusions: Although statistical significance was not reached in the current study, the prophylactic administration of dexamethasone seems to be useful to prevent POCD development following cardiac surgery. However, further large multicenter research is needed to confirm these directions.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02767713 (10/05/2016).

Hip osteoarthritis (HOA) is characterized by degradation of the cartilage and synovitis. However, the pathohistological effects of synovial tissue inflammation on HOA are not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of iNOS, BCL-2 and MMP-9 markers in different synovial cell populations. A total of 32 patients were evaluated retrospectively. Age, sex, height, weight, body mass index were recorded and lymphocyte, fibrocytes and macrophages were analysed in tissue sections. Osteoarthritis cartilage histopathology assessment system (OARSI), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Krenn score, Harris Hip Score (HHS) and Kellgren–Lawrence (K-L) grading of the hip joints were performed. Total hip arthroplasty was performed on 32 patients and controls. Patients were divided into two groups according to their disease severity. The tissues were immunohistochemically analysed. K-L grade and Krenn score differ between all three groups, but also between moderate and severe OA. Synovial lining cell layer, resident cells in stroma and especially inflammatory infiltration were increasing with severity of OA. iNOS expression in both intima and subintima was positively correlated with Krenn score in moderate and severe osteoarthritis (OA) groups. Expression of BCL-2 in intima of severe OA patients was positively correlated with Krenn score. In conclusion, iNOS, BCL-2 and MMP-9 are involved in the regulation of HOA. Our study indicates a relationship between the pathohistological features, the synovial inflammation and the cartilage condition at the time of hip replacement due to OA or femoral neck fracture.

Background: A recent study reported that patients with higher cortisol levels on the 1st postoperative morning after cardiac surgery exhibited an increased risk of early postoperative cognitive decline (POCD). Therefore, we conducted the current study to gain further insight into the stress response to a surgical procedure as a potential risk factor for early POCD after cardiac surgery. Material/Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled 125 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with or without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patient serum cortisol levels were determined 1 day before surgery (at 08: 00) and on the 1st (at 08: 00, 16: 00 and 24: 00), 3rd (at 08: 00), and 5th (at 08: 00) postoperative days. A battery of 9 neuropsychological tests were used to assess the participants 2 days before the surgical procedure and on the 6th postoperative day. POCD was defined as a decrease in performance of 1 SD or greater between the postoperative and preoperative z scores on at least 1 neuropsychological test. A mixed-design ANOVA was used to determine the correlations of the perioperative cortisol levels with the occurrence of POCD and with the surgical technique performed. Results: Mixed-design ANOVA showed no statistically significant differences in the cortisol levels between non-POCD and POCD patients (F=0.52, P=0.690) or between patients with and without CPB (F=2.02, P=0.103) at the 6 perioperative time points. Conclusions: The occurrence of early POCD and the use of CPB were not associated with significantly higher cortisol levels in the repeated measurement design.