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