The feasibility study of Computer Cognitive Senior Assessment System-Screen (CoSAS-S) in critically ill patients with sepsis.

PURPOSE: Early cognitive assessment in the intensive care unit (ICU) is essential to monitor cognitive dysfunction after critical illness. We have implemented a Computer Cognitive Senior Assessment System-Screen (CoSAS-S) which is a brief, objective, and tablet-based cognitive screening test as a mobile platform to detect any cognitive problems in ICUs. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and initial validation of a tablet-based CoSAS-S in critically ill patients with sepsis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six eligible patients completed CoSAS-S, Mini-Mental State Examination-Korean Version (MMSE-K) and Korean Version of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (K-MoCA) for validity testing at the ICU.

RESULTS: Eighty-eight percent of programmed assessments were completed by the sample. Spearman correlations of the CoSAS-S with MMSE-K (rho=0.613-0.874, p<0.00) and K-MoCA scores (rho=0.666-0.897, p<0.001) were moderate to high. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) of total CoSAS-S score between two raters was 0.93 (p<0.001; 95% CI=0.82-0.97), suggesting the inter-rater reliability of CoSAS-S was excellent.

CONCLUSIONS: Support was found for the feasibility and validity of CoSAS-S. The application of CoSAS-S could identify the cognitive functioning of the patients. Utility of CoSAS-S in other clinical populations should be tested.