Indicators of cognitive functions in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (five-year follow-up).

Abstract

Purpose. We aimed to evaluate the long-term results of cognitive functions in patients in 1 year and 5 years after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Material and methods. We examined 98 men aged 45-69years. Cognitive functions were evaluated prior to CABG, 1 year and 5 years after CABG. Discussion. The evaluation of neuropsychological status allowed to diagnose a cognitive decline and to compare the dynamics at different stages of the study: baseline 1 year and 5 years later in patients after CABG. Various dynamics in the basic cognitive domains (upon the indicators of memory, attention and neurodynamics) was revealed in the long-term postoperative period. The positive dynamics in the tests for attention and memory in the annual stage is probably provided by the “learning effect ” and relative “simplicity ” of the tasks execution. The regression of memory and attention indicators by the fifth year of the study till the baseline preoperative level was probably the result of the combination offactors: a natural age decline in cognitive functions, a large gap between the studies (4 years) and of course a long-term CABG effect. The studied sample of the patients was interested in convalescence, highly motivated and compliant to medical recommendations at all the stages of postoperative period. Results. Multidirectional dynamics in cognitive indicators was noted at annual and five-year stages offollow-up in patients underwent CABG. By the first year after CABG there was a significant tendency towards the improvement of cognitive functions in memory, attention and neurodynamics indicators. At the five-years follow-up stage there was a regression in memory, attention and neurodynamics indicators towards the baseline preoperative level. Conclusions. The active curation of patients after CABG by a multidisciplinary team will allow to timely reveal a cognitive