The incidence of delirium in patients pretreated with statins who remain in an intensive care unit after cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE To determine the association between the preoperative administration of statins and postoperative delirium in a prospective cohort of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS All adult patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit following cardiac surgery between January and June 2011 were included. Delirium was screened during the postoperative period using the Confusion Assessment Method for Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) and Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC). RESULTS A total of 169 patients underwent elective cardiac surgery, and 40.2% of the patients were treated preoperatively with statins. Delirium was identified using the CAM-ICU in 14.9% of patients not taking preoperative statins in comparison with 11.8% of the patients taking statins (p = 0.817). Using the ICDSC, delirium was identified in 18.8% of patients not taking statins in comparison with 10.3% of the patients taking statins (p = 0.191). CONCLUSION The use of preoperative statins is not correlated with postoperative delirium in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.