The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Dec 2005
Are preoperative depressive symptoms associated with postoperative delirium in geriatric surgical patients?
Delirium is common in older surgical patients and predicts negative health outcomes. Whether depressive symptoms are prevalent and predict the development of postoperative delirium in elderly surgical patients has not been investigated. Our study aimed to examine the prevalence and prognostic importance of preoperative depressive symptoms in older surgical patients. ⋯ Preoperative screening for the presence of depressive symptoms can be performed easily in elderly patients, and yields useful prognostic information relating to postoperative delirium.