The Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) is not sensitive to cognitive impairment in bariatric surgery candidates

Abstract Background Cognitive dysfunction is common among bariatric surgery candidates and associated with poorer weight loss outcomes. Identification of a brief screening measure to detect cognitive impairment in this population is needed, because comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations may not be available in all clinical settings. Methods The present study examined the utility of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for detecting cognitive impairment in 30 bariatric surgery candidates by comparing impairment on the MMSE (at varying cutoffs) to impairment on a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery. Results Results indicated that the MMSE showed low sensitivity and specificity in identifying impairment, even at the more stringent MMSE cutoffs of 27 and 28. Conclusion These findings suggest that the MMSE is a poor screener for cognitive impairment in bariatric surgery candidates. Future research is needed to identify or develop cognitive screeners for use in this population.