OBJECTIVES

The mechanisms of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in patients with diabetes after coronary artery bypass grafting are not fully understood. We sought to determine which type 2 diabetes-related factors contributed to postoperative cognitive dysfunction at 7 days and 6 months after coronary artery bypass grafting.

METHODS

One hundred eighty patients with type 2 diabetes who were scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting were studied. As a control group, 100 patients without diabetes mellitus matched for age, sex, and educational level were examined. Hemodynamic parameters (arterial and jugular venous blood gas values) were measured during cardiopulmonary bypass. All patients underwent a battery of neurologic and neuropsychologic tests the day before surgery, 7 days after surgery, and 6 months after surgery.

RESULTS

Age (odds ratio 1.5, 95% confidence interval 1.3-1.8, P = .03), presence of hypertension (odds ratio 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.3-2.0, P = .01), jugular venous oxygen saturation less than 50% time (odds ratio 1.5, 95% confidence interval 1.1-2.0, P = .045), presence of ascending aorta atherosclerosis (odds ratio 1.5, 95% confidence interval 1.1-2.6, P = .01), diabetic retinopathy (odds ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.3-3.0, P = .01), and insulin therapy (odds ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.3-3.0, P = .05), were associated with cognitive impairment at 7 days. Insulin therapy (odds ratio 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.3-3.8, P = .01), diabetic retinopathy (odds ratio 1.3, 95% confidence interval 1.2-2.9, P < .01), and hemoglobin A 1c (odds ratio 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.3-3.1, P = .047) were associated with cognitive impairment at 6 postoperative months.

CONCLUSIONS

Insulin therapy, diabetic retinopathy, and hemoglobin A 1c were factors in cognitive impairment at 7 days and 6 months after coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with type 2 diabetes.