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53/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 53 out of 100. Clinical safety

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

Delirium screening was performed exclusively in patients aged ≥75 years, accounting for 7.3% of all surgical patients. Screening rates declined with advancing age (44% of patients aged 90+ vs 56% aged 75-79), while the proportion screening positive increased sharply (3.1% at 75-79 years vs 12.8% at ≥90 years). Delirium occurred in 10.6% (n = 23,100) of screened patients. Compared with non-delirium patients, those with delirium were older (mean 81.3 vs 79.9 years, p < 0.0001), more functionally dependent, and had higher ASA class and comorbidity burden. Dementia (37% vs 7.9%, p < 0.0001), recent falls (40% vs 18%, p < 0.0001), and urgent/emergency surgery (55% vs 26%, p < 0.0001) were strongly associated. Each 10-min increase in operative time was seen to independently be associated with 2.3% raised odds of delirium (p < 0.0001). Delirium was independently associated with higher 30-day mortality (OR 3.2, 95% CI 2.9-3.5), reoperation (OR 2.3, 95% CI 2.1-2.5), surgical complications (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.6-1.9), loss of independence (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.5-1.7), and reduced odds of home discharge (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.4-0.5). Postoperative delirium is an independent predictor of adverse surgical outcomes yet remains substantially under-screened, with disparities across patient groups. These findings underscore the need for standardized, routine screening and targeted prevention strategies to improve perioperative care. Funding: No funding was received for this study.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Panayi, A. C., Friedrich, S., Rühl, J., Schaschinger, T., Niederegger, T., Knoedler, L., et al. (2025). Delirium after surgery: a retrospective study of predictors, complications, and screening patterns in the national surgical quality improvement program. EClinicalMedicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103629

Vancouver

Panayi AC, Friedrich S, Rühl J, Schaschinger T, Niederegger T, Knoedler L, et al. Delirium after surgery: a retrospective study of predictors, complications, and screening patterns in the national surgical quality improvement program. EClinicalMedicine. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103629. PMID: 41497512.

BibTeX

@article{panayi2025-41497512,
  author  = {Panayi, Adriana C. and Friedrich, Sarah and Rühl, Jasmin and Schaschinger, Thomas and Niederegger, Tobias and Knoedler, Leonard and Knoedler, Samuel and Rendenbach, Carsten and others},
  title   = {{Delirium after surgery: a retrospective study of predictors, complications, and screening patterns in the national surgical quality improvement program}},
  journal = {EClinicalMedicine},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103629},
  pmid    = {41497512},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103629}
}

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Key findings

Delirium screening was performed exclusively in patients aged ≥75 years, accounting for 7.3% of all surgical patients.
Screening rates declined with advancing age (44% of patients aged 90+ vs 56% aged 75-79), while the proportion screening positive increased sharply (3.1% at 75-79 years vs 12.8% at ≥90 years).
Delirium occurred in 10.6% (n = 23,100) of screened patients.
Compared with non-delirium patients, those with delirium were older (mean 81.3 vs 79.9 years, p < 0.0001), more functionally dependent, and had higher ASA class and comorbidity burden.
Dementia (37% vs 7.9%, p < 0.0001), recent falls (40% vs 18%, p < 0.0001), and urgent/emergency surgery (55% vs 26%, p < 0.0001) were strongly associated.

Why it matters

Delirium after surgery was linked to higher death rates, more complications and loss of independence, but screening was done only in patients aged 75 and over and was often missed. The findings point to better routine screening and prevention rather than a treatment for Alzheimer's disease itself.

Study details

Participants23,100
Effect sizeor 7.3; 3.1%; 12.8%
Evidence strengthLow

How this study scored 53/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 51 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 53 out of 100.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (EClinicalMedicine)
Journal's citation record	2 / 4	EClinicalMedicine: journal h-index 150 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	0 / 12	No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Strength of evidence	1 / 5	Rated “low” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	4 / 5	2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	4 / 4	23,100 participants
Effect reported	2 / 3	Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test
Studied in people	3 / 3	Studied in people (participant count stated)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	2 / 7	Cited 10 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	2 / 5	3.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 7.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	1 / 6	Cited by 1 other studies in this library
Still being cited	1 / 4	Cited 10 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	— / 4	Senior author's record not available — left out of this score
Institution's track record	3 / 3	Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	2 / 3	OpenAlex lists 7 institution(s) in 2 countries
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41497512)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Points	51 / 96	Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 51 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 53 out of 100.
Total	53 / 100	—

What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →

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