Use of procholinergics in the prevention of postoperative delirium in hip fracture surgery in the elderly. A randomized controlled trial

Introduction. 40 to 50% of elderly with hip fracture present delirium. The morbimortality increase in patients whose presented delirum. Objective. To study the use of citicoline (CDP-choline) in the prevention of deliriumin elderly under hip fracture surgery. Patients and methods. A randomized control trial. The patients with hip fracture without dementia or an other organic brain illness. The medication were administred 24 hours before and during 4 days after surgery. The dosis was 1.2 g/ day. The primary outcome measure was percentage of patients with delirium measured with Abreviated Mental Test (AMT) and Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). The Mini-Mental State (MMS) was used before and 4 days after surgery. All treatment comparation was considered statistically significant at p< 0. 05 calculating chi square and Wilcoxon test. Results. The sample size was 81 patients (46 placebo and 35 citicoline). The mean age was 79.45 for tested group and 79. 97 for placebo. There was no statistically significant difference between groups with respect to ASA class of anesthesia. The incidence of delirium was 17.39% in placebo and 11.76% in citicoline group (p= 0.6). CAM and AMT at 1, 2, 3, 4 days post surgery was not significant in placebo and citicoline group (p= 0.8 and p= 0.34). Conclusion. In the present study the citicoline did not prevent or reduce the incidence of delirium in hip fracture surgery in elderly.