Key result
Exposure to general anesthesia during elective surgery was not associated with an increased risk of dementia compared with regional anesthesia (HR 1.0; 95% CI 0.8-1.2).
Why the study?
Cognitive changes are common in older adults after surgery, raising concerns that exposure to general anesthesia may increase Alzheimer's disease risk.
Does general anesthesia increase the risk of dementia compared to regional anesthesia in older adults undergoing elective surgery?
Population
7,499 matched pairs of community-dwelling individuals aged 66 and older undergoing elective surgery in Ontario, Canada
Comparison
General anesthesia vs regional anesthesia
Design
Population-based propensity matched retrospective cohort study
Follow-up
Up to 5 years
Authors
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General anesthesia was not associated with higher dementia risk than regional anesthesia in elective surgery; leaves open need for randomized confirmation in older adults.
Cohort (n=14,998)
Yes
Does general anesthesia increase the risk of dementia compared to regional anesthesia in older adults undergoing elective surgery?
Hazard Ratio: 1 (95% CI 0.8–1.2)
Exposure to general anesthesia during elective surgery is not associated with an increased risk of developing dementia compared to regional anesthesia in older adults.
Velkers et al. (2020) conducted a cohort in Elective surgical procedures (n=14,998). General anesthesia vs. Regional anesthesia was evaluated on Occurrence of dementia (HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.8-1.2). Exposure to general anesthesia during elective surgery was not associated with an increased risk of dementia compared with regional anesthesia (HR 1.0; 95% CI 0.8-1.2).
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