MoCA-T as a remote assessment tool to determine cognitive impairment in patients with moderate to severe OSA

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the emergence of technological tools that allow remote assessment on patients. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test Telephone Version (MoCA-T) is one of them. Considered as a telemedicine resource that allows remote cognitive screening in pandemic era and in the population with difficulties in accessing health centers. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a common finding in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS). However, the application of telephone tests for cognitive screening has not been studied. To determine the frequency of cognitive deterioration through the application of MoCA-T as a remote screening test in patients with moderate and severe OSAHS is the main objective of this work. To do this, the MoCA-T test was applied to 104 patients with polysomnographic diagnostic capabilities for moderate and severe OSAHS between ages 18 and 65, excluding patients with comorbidities that affect cognitive ones. Abnormal MoCA-T results were obtained in 43% of patients, with the cognitive domains of memory and attention being the most affected. Finally, abnormal MoCA-T results correlated with self-perception of memory difficulties, being more frequently altered in those who manifest cognitive complaints. The MoCA-T test could be a brief, validated and feasible technological tool for cognitive screening of patients with OSAHS in times of pandemic and in patients with care barriers.Copyright © 2023 Sociedad Neurologica Argentina