Investigation of factors relating to neuropsychological change following cardiac surgery.

Background: An analysis of neuropsychological impairment following cardiopulmonary bypass was performed in 55 patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods: Neurocognitive function was measured preoperatively using the MicroCog: Assessment of Cognitive Functioning computer-based testing tool. Testing was repeated in the postoperative period immediately prior to discharge from hospital.

Test-retest norms and reliable change indices for the MicroCog Battery in a healthy community population over 50 years of age.

The increasing availability of computerized test batteries used to assess neuropsychological changes requires the availability of suitable test-retest normative data. Reliable change indices can then be used to evaluate significance of change in an individual's performance on retesting. We tested (N = 40) neurologically normal adults on three occasions (initially, two weeks, and three months) on the MicroCog: Assessment of Cognitive Functioning computerized testing instrument.

Assessment of statistical change criteria used to define significant change in neuropsychological test performance following cardiac surgery.

Objective: This paper compares four techniques used to assess change in neuropsychological test scores before and after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), and includes a rationale for the classification of a patient as overall impaired.

Methods: A total of 55 patients were tested before and after surgery on the MicroCog neuropsychological test battery. A matched control group underwent the same testing regime to generate test-retest reliabilities and practice effects.