METHODS
This prospective observer blind cohort study was conducted at Ankara
Numune Education and Research Hospital between June 2014 and March 2015
after obtaining approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee (dated
on 06/18/2014 and numbered E-14-216) and written informed consent from
the patients. The inclusion criteria were fluency in Turkish, age ≥ 65,
ASA I–III, and being scheduled for elective inguinal herniorrhaphy. The
exclusion criteria were an MMSE score < 24 in preoperative
examination, suffering from diseases of the central nervous system, use
of antidepressant or antipsychotic medication, alcohol or drug abuse,
and being illiterate.
The MMSE and MoCA scores were evaluated in a quiet room and recorded by
a blinded researcher during the preoperative visit at a desk and one day
after the operation in quiet conditions in the sickbed. During the
preoperative examination, we recorded the patient’s age, gender, ASA
score, BMI, comorbidities, information on previous anesthesia
management, and routine intraoperative monitoring data (non-invasive
blood pressure, heart rate, and pulse oximetry) from the patient’s
medical file. Postoperative complications and discharge times were also
noted.