Prevalence and trajectory of postoperative cognitive impairment in older surgical patients: a multicenter longitudinal prospective cohort study

Regardless of the cognitive assessment tool, we found that participants without CI preoperatively experienced an increase in CI at 30 days postoperatively, followed by a decline at 90 and 180 days. Approximately 5% of patients developed CI on the AD8, and 8% on the T-MoCA at 6 months postoperatively. These findings highlight the potential impact of surgery on older adults with normal cognitive function and emphasize the value of remote cognitive screening tools in monitoring postoperative cognitive changes and identifying at-risk patients.