A comparison of the effect of high- and low-dose fentanyl on the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction after coronary artery bypass surgery in the elderly

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) after coronary artery bypass graft surgery is a common complication for which, despite many clinical investigations, no definitive etiology has been found. The current use of both high- and low-dose fentanyl as anesthetic techniques allowed us to investigate the effect of fentanyl on the incidence of POCD. METHODS: Three hundred fifty patients scheduled to undergo elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery were randomized to receive either high-dose fentanyl (50 μg/kg) or low-dose fentanyl (10 μg/kg) as the basis of the anesthetic. All patients underwent neuropsychological testing before surgery and at 1 week, 3 months, and 12 months ..