Risk factors for emergence agitation during the awakening period in elderly patients after total joint arthroplasty: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the incidence and risk factors for emergence agitation (EA) in elderly patients who underwent total joint arthroplasty (TJA) under general anaesthesia, and to assess their predictive values. DESIGN: Single-centre retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A 1600-bed general tertiary hospital in China. PARTICIPANTS: This study enrolled 421 elderly patients scheduled for elective primary TJA under general anaesthesia. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: EA was assessed using the Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale during the awakening period after surgery in the post-anaesthesia care unit. Risk factors for EA were identified using univariate and multivariable logistic analyses. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the predictive values of the risk factors for EA. RESULTS: The incidence of EA in elderly patients who underwent TJA was 37.6%. According to the multivariable logistic analysis, postoperative pain (95% CI: 1.951 to 3.196), male sex (95% CI: 1.781 to 6.435), catheter-related bladder discomfort (CRBD) (95% CI: 4.001 to 15.392) and longer fasting times for solids (95% CI: 1.260 to 2.301) and fluids (95% CI: 1.263 to 2.365) were independent risk factors for EA. As shown by the ROC analysis, postoperative pain and fasting times for solids and fluids had good predictive values, with areas under the ROC curve equalling 0.769, 0.753 and 0.768, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: EA is a common complication after TJA in elderly patients. Some risk factors, including postoperative pain, male sex, CRBD and longer fasting times, can increase the incidence of EA. These risk factors may contribute to identifying high-risk patients, which facilitates the development of effective strategies to prevent and treat EA. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR1800020193.