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Evaluation of a Hospital Program to Prevent Postoperative Delirium in Older Patients

NCT07787832 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 720

Last updated 2026-08-26

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Postoperative delirium is a common complication in older adults undergoing surgery. It is characterized by an acute and fluctuating disturbance of attention, awareness, and thinking. Delirium may be associated with prolonged hospital stay, loss of independence, cognitive decline, complications, and increased need for care.

The University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf has introduced a multicomponent care program to prevent postoperative delirium in patients aged 65 years and older. The program includes preoperative assessment of risk factors such as frailty, cognitive impairment, and malnutrition, as well as information for patients and relatives. Depending on the individual risk profile, preventive measures may include support with orientation, adequate hydration and nutrition, early mobilization, preservation of the sleep-wake cycle, use of glasses and hearing aids, avoidance of unnecessary room changes, and reduction of medications that may contribute to delirium. A specialized delirium team supports patients and clinical staff during the hospital stay.

EvaDel is a prospective study evaluating how patient care and clinical outcomes change while this delirium prevention program is gradually implemented in routine clinical practice. Participants will be followed from before surgery until three months after the operation. The study will assess the occurrence of postoperative delirium, cognitive function, independence in everyday activities, postoperative complications, and the extent to which the preventive measures were successfully implemented.

The study hypothesis is that a higher degree of implementation of the delirium prevention program will be associated with a lower rate of postoperative delirium and with better cognitive, functional, and clinical outcomes after surgery.

Conditions

  • Postoperative Delirium
  • Delirium Prevention
  • Multicomponent Care Program
  • Older Adults (60 - 85 Years Old)

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Multicomponent delirium prevention program

* Preoperative screening for cognitive impairment, frailty, and malnutrition * Risk stratification into low-, intermediate-, or high-delirium-risk groups * Patient and family education about postoperative delirium and preventive measures * Individualized measures to support orientation, hydration, nutrition, mobility, and sleep-wake regulation * Provision of glasses and hearing aids when needed * Avoidance of unnecessary room transfers and potentially deliriogenic medications, where clinically feasible * Postoperative delirium screening during the hospital stay * Support by a specialized delirium team * Staff education on delirium prevention, recognition, and management * Stepwise implementation, with the delivered intervention components documented for each participant

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Cynthia Olotu, MD. Dr. · University Medical Center Hamburg

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Model
SEQUENTIAL

Eligibility

Min Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-10-01
Primary Completion
2028-12-31
Completion
2029-06-30

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07787832 on ClinicalTrials.gov