Perioperative Dexmedetomidine Supplement Decreases Delirium Incidence After Adult Cardiac Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study

Characteristics associated with effectiveness in postoperative delirium research: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials with meta-regression and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Postoperative delirium remains prevalent despite extensive research through randomised trials aimed at reducing its incidence. Understanding trial characteristics associated with interventions' effectiveness facilitates data interpretation.

METHODS

Trial characteristics were extracted from eligible trials identified through two systematic literature searches. Multivariable meta-regression was used to investigate trial characteristics associated with effectiveness estimated using odds ratios. Meta-analysis was used to investigate pooled effectiveness.

RESULTS

We identified 201 eligible trials. Compared with China, trials from the USA/Canada (ratio of odds ratio, 1.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.45-2.45) and Europe/Australia/New Zealand (1.67; 1.29-2.18) had an 89% and 67% higher odds ratio, respectively, suggesting reduced effectiveness. The effectiveness was enhanced when the incidence of postoperative delirium increased (0.85; 0.79-0.92, per 10% increase). Trials with concerns related to deviations from intended interventions reported increased effectiveness compared with those at low risk (0.69; 0.53-0.90). Compared with usual care, certain interventions appeared to have reduced the incidence of postoperative delirium in low-risk trials with low-to-moderate certainty of evidence. However, these findings should be considered inconclusive because of challenges in grouping heterogeneous interventions, the limited number of eligible trials, the prevalence of small-scale studies, and potential publication bias.

CONCLUSIONS

The effectiveness of postoperative delirium trials varied based on the region of trial origin, the incidence of delirium, and the risk of bias. The limitations caution against drawing definitive conclusions from different bodies of evidence. These findings highlight the imperative need to improve the quality of research on a global scale.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL

PROSPERO (CRD42023413984).

Does dexmedetomidine reduce the risk of acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a common complication after cardiac surgery and has been associated with poor outcomes. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) has been shown to confer direct renoprotection based on some animal and clinical studies, but data from other trials came to the opposite conclusion following cardiac surgery. This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of perioperative DEX administration on the occurrence of AKI and the outcomes after cardiac surgery.

METHODS

We searched databases including EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane CENTRAL for Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) focused on DEX for AKI in adult patients after cardiac surgery. The primary outcome was incidence of AKI. Secondary outcomes were Mechanical Ventilation (MV) duration, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Length Of Stay (LOS), hospital LOS and mortality.

RESULTS

Fifteen trials enrolling 2907 study patients were collected in the meta-analyses. Compared with controls, DEX reduced the incidence of postoperative AKI (Odds Ratio [OR = 0.66]; 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI 0.48-0.91]; p = 0.01), and there was no significant difference between groups in postoperative mortality (OR = 0.63; 95% CI 0.32-1.26; p = 0.19), MV duration (Weighted Mean Difference [WMD = -0.44]; 95% CI -1.50-0.63; p = 0.42), ICU LOS (WMD = -1.19; 95% CI -2.89-0.51; p = 0.17), and hospital LOS (WMD = -0.31; 95% CI -0.76-0.15; p = 0.19).

CONCLUSIONS

Perioperative DEX reduced the incidence of postoperative AKI in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery. No significant decrease existed in mortality, MV duration, ICU LOS and hospital LOS owing to DEX administration.

Knowledge mapping and research trends on perioperative neurocognitive disorder from 1990 to 2022: a bibliometric analysis

Introduction

Perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) has attracted consistently increasing attention worldwide. However, there are few bibliometric studies that systematically evaluate this field. This study aimed to visualize the knowledge structure and research trends in PND through bibliometrics to help understand the future development of basic and clinical research.

Methods

Literature related to PND in Web of Science and PubMed from 1990 to 2022 were collected through keywords retrospectively. Additionally, the source information, citation information, etc. of these publications were extracted. Finally, bibliometric analysis was performed by visualization software and statistical software.

Results

There were 2837 articles and reviews in total. An exponential rise in PND-related publications was observed. China had the most publication, followed by the US and Germany. The institution with the most output and citations was Harvard University (149 papers, 8966 citations). The most prominent author was Marcantonio Edward R with 66 publications and 5721 citations. The journal with the highest productivity for PND research was Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience followed by Anesthesia and Analgesia. Keywords were identified as six topics, including postoperative delirium, postoperative neurocognitive disorder, cardiac surgery, anaesthesia, orthopedic surgery, and dementia. According to keyword analysis, the most recent popular keywords in PND research were prevention, older patients, emergence delirium, orthopedic surgery, and dexmedetomidine.

Conclusions

Publications on PND are increasing at an alarming rate from 1990 to 2022. Current research and future trends will concentrate on the prevention and treatment of PND, as well as PND associated with orthopedic surgery in older adults.

Update of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine evidence-based and consensus-based guideline on postoperative delirium in adult patients

Postoperative delirium (POD) remains a common, dangerous and resource-consuming adverse event but is often preventable. The whole peri-operative team can play a key role in its management. This update to the 2017 ESAIC Guideline on the prevention of POD is evidence-based and consensus-based and considers the literature between 01 April 2015, and 28 February 2022. The search terms of the broad literature search were identical to those used in the first version of the guideline published in 2017. POD was defined in accordance with the DSM-5 criteria. POD had to be measured with a validated POD screening tool, at least once per day for at least 3 days starting in the recovery room or postanaesthesia care unit on the day of surgery or, at latest, on postoperative day 1. Recent literature confirmed the pathogenic role of surgery-induced inflammation, and this concept reinforces the positive role of multicomponent strategies aimed to reduce the surgical stress response. Although some putative precipitating risk factors are not modifiable (length of surgery, surgical site), others (such as depth of anaesthesia, appropriate analgesia and haemodynamic stability) are under the control of the anaesthesiologists. Multicomponent preoperative, intra-operative and postoperative preventive measures showed potential to reduce the incidence and duration of POD, confirming the pivotal role of a comprehensive and team-based approach to improve patients' clinical and functional status.

A pre-anesthetic bolus of ketamine versus dexmedetomidine for prevention of postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing emergency surgery: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate whether a single dose of ketamine or dexmedetomidine before induction of general anesthesia could reduce the incidence of postoperative delirium (primary outcome) or cognitive dysfunction (secondary outcome) in elderly patients undergoing emergency surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial included 60 elderly patients who were scheduled for emergency surgery. The patients were randomly assigned into one of three groups (n = 20): group I received 0.9% normal saline, group II received 1 µg/kg dexmedetomidine, and group III received 1 mg/kg ketamine right before anesthesia induction. Patients were observed for three days after surgery and tested for postoperative delirium and cognitive dysfunction using the delirium observation screening scale and the mini-mental state examination score, respectively.

RESULTS

The dexmedetomidine group had the lowest incidence of delirium (p = 0.001) and cognitive dysfunction (p = 0.006) compared to the ketamine and placebo groups. The multivariate logistic regression model revealed that dexmedetomidine reduced the incidence of postoperative delirium by 32% compared to placebo (reference) (OR = 0.684, 95% CI: 0.240-0.971, p = 0.025), whereas ketamine increased the risk by threefold (OR = 3.012, 95% CI: 1.185-9.681, p = 0.013). Furthermore, dexmedetomidine reduced the incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction by 62% (OR = 0.375, 95% CI: 0.091-0.543, p = 0.012), whereas ketamine increased the risk by 4.5 times (OR = 4.501, 95% CI: 1.161-8.817, p = 0.006).

CONCLUSION

A single pre-anesthetic bolus of dexmedetomidine is a practical choice for preventing postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing emergency surgery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Aswan University Hospital (approval number: aswu/548/7/2021; registration date: 06/07/2021) and registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05341154) (22/04/2022).

Influence of Regional Nerve Block in Addition to General Anesthesia on Postoperative Delirium, Pain, and In-hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Cardiothoracic Surgery: A Meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate whether venous injection of sedative agent or regional nerve block in alliance with major anesthesia could decrease the risk of postoperative delirium occurrence in patients receiving cardiothoracic surgery. Electronic academic databases were retrieved for related publications, and statistical software was used for data pooling and analysis. Forest plot was used to show the pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio. Combined receiver operating characteristic curve was used to show the area under the curve of complex data. Seven studies were included for analysis. The risk of occurrence of delirium still showed no difference (risk rate = 0.93, 95% CI, 0.85-1.03) between the intervention group and placebo group. Postoperative pain feeling was more alleviated in patients with prophylactic application of regional nerve block. In addition, prophylactic application of regional nerve block could decrease the risk of postoperative in-hospital stay (risk rate = 0.28, 95% CI, 0.02-0.54). Our study demonstrated that, in elderly patients or pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery, prophylactic application of regional nerve block failed to decrease the incidence of postoperative delirium. However, the option of regional nerve block could decrease the duration of in-hospitalization stay and alleviate the acute pain during the postoperative period after open-heart surgery.

Implication of age-related changes on anesthesia management

Elderly patients have a high risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. Pluri-morbidities, polypharmacy, and functional dependence may have a great impact on intraoperative management and request specific cautions. In addition to surgical stress, several perioperative noxious stimuli such as fasting, blood loss, postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, drug adverse reactions, and immobility may trigger a derangement leading to perioperative complications. Older patients have a high risk of major hemodynamic derangement due to aging of the cardiovascular system and associated comorbidities. The hemodynamic monitoring as well as fluid therapy should be the most accurate as possible. Aging is accompanied by decreased renal function, which is related to a reduction in renal blood flow, renal mass, and the number and size of functioning nephrons. Drugs eliminated predominantly by the renal route need dosage adjustments based on residual renal function. Liver mass, hepatic blood flow, and intrinsic metabolic activity are decreased in the elderly, and all drugs metabolized by the liver have a variable half-life, thus requiring dose reduction. Decreased neural plasticity contributes to a high risk for postoperative delirium. Monitoring of anesthesia depth should be mandatory to avoid overdosage of hypnotic drugs. Prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications requires both protective ventilation strategies and adequate recovery of neuromuscular function at the end of surgery. Avoidance of hypothermia cannot be missed. The aim of this review is to describe comprehensive strategies for intraoperative management plans tailored to meet the unique needs of elderly surgical patients, thus improving outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Prophylactic dexmedetomidine use did not decrease the incidence of delirium in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The benefits of prophylactic dexmedetomidine use in patients undergoing cardiac surgery remain controversial. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the short-term clinical outcomes of dexmedetomidine use versus non-dexmedetomidine use.

METHODS

Systematic searches using PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were carried out for English articles published from inception to 23 September 2021. This was followed by a meta-analysis investigating delirium, the length of delirium, mortality, bradycardia, hypotension, the length of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, and the duration of mechanical ventilation.

RESULTS

Ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs) totaling 2550 patients were included. In the dexmedetomidine group incidence of delirium was 13.5%, compared with 16.1% in the control group. The risk ratio (RR) for the comparison was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.47 - 1.00; p = .052). In addition, there were no differences in mortality (RR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.27 - 1.14; p = .109), the incidence of bradycardia (RR, 1.20; 95% CI, 0.91 - 1.57; p = .201), the incidence of hypotension (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.57 - 1.44; p = .674), and the length of delirium mean difference (MD, -0.99; 95% CI, -2.20 to 0.21; p = .106). However, prophylactic dexmedetomidine use significantly reduced the duration of mechanical ventilation (MD, -2.03; 95% CI, -3.35 to -0.70; p = .003), length of ICU stay (MD, -3.17; 95% CI, -5.10 to -1.24; p = .001), and length of hospital stay (MD, -1.76; 95% CI, -2.88 to -0.66; p = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

Prophylactic dexmedetomidine use did not decrease the incidence of delirium in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, but significantly reduced the duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, and length of hospital stay.

Dexmedetomidine for the prevention of delirium in adults admitted to the intensive care unit or post-operative care unit: A systematic review of randomised clinical trials with meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis

OBJECTIVES

To assess any benefit or harm, we conducted a systematic review of randomised clinical trials (RCTs) allocating adults to dexmedetomidine versus placebo/no intervention for the prevention of delirium in intensive care or post-operative care units.

DATA SOURCES

We searched Medline, Embase, CENTRAL and other databases. The last search was 9 April 2022.

DATA EXTRACTION

Literature screening, data extraction and risk of bias volume 2 assessments were performed independently and in duplicate. Primary outcomes were occurrences of serious adverse events (SAEs), delirium and all-cause mortality. We used meta-analysis, Trial Sequential Analysis, and GRADE (Grading Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation).

DATA SYNTHESIS

Eighty-one RCTs (15,745 patients) provided data for our primary outcomes. Results from trials at low risk of bias showed that dexmedetomidine may reduce the occurrence of the most frequently reported SAEs (relative risk [RR] 0.69; 95% CI 0.43-1.09), cumulated SAEs (RR 0.70; 95% CI 0.52-0.95) and the occurrence of delirium (RR 0.62; 95% CI 0.43-0.89). The certainty of evidence was very low for delirium. Mortality was very low in trials at low risk of bias (0.4% in the dexmedetomidine groups and 1.0% in the control groups) and meta-analysis did not provide conclusive evidence that dexmedetomidine may result in lower or higher all-cause mortality (RR 0.47; 95% CI 0.18-1.21). There was a lack of information from trial results at low risk of bias for all primary outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Trial results at low risk of bias showed that dexmedetomidine might reduce occurrences of SAEs and delirium, while no conclusive evidence was found for effects on all-cause mortality. The certainty of evidence ranged from very low for occurrence of delirium to low for the remaining outcomes.

Dexmedetomidine for adult cardiac surgery: a systematic review, meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis

The effects of dexmedetomidine in adults undergoing cardiac surgery are inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to analyse the effects of peri-operative dexmedetomidine in adults undergoing cardiac surgery. We searched MEDLINE via Pubmed, EMBASE, Scopus and Cochrane for relevant randomised controlled trials between 1 January 1990 and 1 March 2022. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology checklist to assess study quality and the GRADE approach to certainty of evidence. We assessed the sensitivity of results to false data. We used random-effects meta-analyses to analyse the primary outcomes: durations of intensive care and tracheal intubation. We included 48 trials of 6273 participants. Dexmedetomidine reduced the mean (95%CI) duration of intensive care by 5.0 (2.2-7.7) h, p = 0.001, and tracheal intubation by 1.6 (0.6-2.7) h, p = 0.003. The relative risk (95%CI) for postoperative delirium was 0.58 (0.43-0.78), p = 0.001; 0.76 (0.61-0.95) for atrial fibrillation, p = 0.015; and 0.49 (0.25-0.97) for short-term mortality, p = 0.041. Bradycardia and hypotension were not significantly affected. Trial sequential analysis was consistent with the primary meta-analysis. Adjustments for possible false data reduced the mean (95%CI) reduction in duration of intensive care and tracheal intubation by dexmedetomidine to 3.6 (1.8-5.4) h and 0.8 (0.2-1.4) h, respectively. Binary adjustment for methodological quality at a Joanna Briggs Institute score threshold of 10 did not alter the results significantly. In summary, peri-operative dexmedetomidine reduced the durations of intensive care and tracheal intubation and the incidence of short-term mortality after adult cardiac surgery. The reductions in intensive care stay and tracheal intubation may or may not be considered clinically useful, particularly after adjustment for possible false data.

Postoperative Application of Dexmedetomidine is the Optimal Strategy to Reduce the Incidence of Postoperative Delirium After Cardiac Surgery: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

Previous pairwise meta-analyses demonstrated the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine in preventing postoperative delirium (POD) after cardiac surgery; however, the optimal time of applying dexmedetomidine remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This network meta-analysis aimed to determine the optimal time of using dexmedetomidine to reduce the incidence of POD following cardiac surgery.

METHODS

We first retrieved eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from previous meta-analyses, and then an updated search was performed to identify additional RCTs in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library from January 1, 2021 to October 31, 2021. Two authors screened literature, collected data, and evaluated bias risk of eligible studies. Finally, we performed Bayesian network analysis using R version 3.6.1 with the "gemtc" and "rjags" package.

RESULTS

Eighteen studies with 2636 patients were included, and all studies were identified from previous meta-analyses. Results showed that postoperative dexmedetomidine reduced the risk of POD compared with normal saline (NS) (odds ratio [OR], 0.13; 95% credible interval [CrI], 0.03-0.35) and propofol (PRO) (OR, 0.19; 95%CrI, 0.04-0.66). Postoperative dexmedetomidine was associated with a lower incidence of POD compared with perioperative dexmedetomidine (OR, 0.21; 95% CrI, 0.04-0.82). Moreover, postoperative dexmedetomidine had the highest probability of ranking best (90.98%), followed by intraoperative dexmedetomidine (46.83%), PRO (36.94%), perioperative dexmedetomidine (30.85%), and NS (60.02%).

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE

Dexmedetomidine reduces the incidence of POD compared with PRO and NS in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, and postoperative application of dexmedetomidine is the optimal time.

A randomised controlled trial of dexmedetomidine for delirium in adults undergoing heart valve surgery

Dexmedetomidine might reduce delirium after cardiac surgery. We allocated 326 participants to an infusion of dexmedetomidine at a rate of 0.6 μg kg^-1 for 10 min and then at 0.4 μg.kg^-1 .h^-1 until the end of surgery; 326 control participants received comparable volumes of saline. We detected delirium in 98/652 (15%) participants during the first seven postoperative days: 47/326 after dexmedetomidine vs. 51/326 after placebo, p = 0.62, adjusted relative risk (95%CI) 0.86 (0.56-1.33), p = 0.51. Postoperative renal impairment (Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes stages 1, 2 and 3) was detected in 46, 9 and 2 participants after dexmedetomidine and 25, 7 and 4 control participants, p = 0.040. Intra-operative dexmedetomidine infusion did not reduce the incidence of delirium after cardiac valve surgery but might impair renal function.

Cardiac surgery, ICU sedation, and delirium: is dexmedetomidine the silver bullet?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Delirium is a marker of acute brain insufficiency and a harbinger of poor outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Despite success preventing delirium by nonpharmacologic measures, the incidence in the postcardiac surgical ICU population remains high. Dexmedetomidine, a selective alpha-2 agonist, is a plausible preventive agent with sedative, anxiolytic, analgesic, sympatholytic and anti-inflammatory properties, and is the subject of very active study in cardiac surgery populations.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent trials, including DEXACET (2019), DECADE (2020), LOWDEXDEL (2021), and DIRECT (2022) individually, failed to show a benefit for dexmedetomidine and highlighted associated risks. Meta-analyses have offered conflicting results, highlighting the complexity of delirium, and likely interaction of multiple etiological pathways; those that concluded benefit often were driven by trials at high risk of bias. Meta-analyses excluding biased trials currently suggest no benefit for dexmedetomidine over control in unselected cardiac surgical populations.

SUMMARY

Although using dexmedetomidine to prevent delirium in unselected cardiac surgical patients is not supported by current evidence, there remains hope that it may offer benefits in highly selected populations, and further trials are ongoing.

Volatile Versus Total Intravenous Anesthesia on Postoperative Delirium in Adult Patients Undergoing Cardiac Valve Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND

The effect of anesthesia regimens on postoperative delirium after on-pump cardiac valve surgery is yet undetermined. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of volatile anesthesia compared with propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) on the occurrence of delirium after on-pump cardiac valve surgery.

METHODS

This randomized clinical trial was conducted at a university academic hospital in China, from February 2019 to January 2021. Patients scheduled for on-pump cardiac valve surgery or combined valve with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgeries were randomly assigned to receive anesthesia maintenance with either a volatile anesthetic (sevoflurane or desflurane) or propofol-based TIVA. The primary outcome was the incidence of delirium during the first 7 days after surgery, assessed using the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit (ICU). The secondary outcomes included duration of delirium, subtypes of delirium, 30-day mortality, pain score, major morbidity (including cerebral infarction, respiratory failure, and pneumonia), duration of mechanical ventilation, and lengths of ICU and hospital stay. The statistical analysis of the primary outcome variable was by Pearson's χ 2 test.

RESULTS

Among the 684 patients analyzed (mean age, 53.8 years; 381 [55.7%] women), 676 were assessed for the primary outcome. Postoperative delirium occurred in 63 of 337 (18.7%) patients receiving volatile anesthesia versus 76 of 339 (22.4%) patients receiving propofol-based TIVA (relative risk, 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-1.16; P = .231). There were no significant differences between the groups in any of the secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients undergoing on-pump cardiac valve surgery, anesthesia maintenance with a volatile agent did not result in significantly fewer occurrences of postoperative delirium than propofol-based TIVA.

Perioperative dexmedetomidine reduces delirium after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: A prospective, single-blind, observational study

BACKGROUND

Delirium is a commonly seen complication of cardiac surgery. Dexmedetomidine, by its anti-inflammatory properties and other effects, can attenuate postoperative delirium.

AIMS

The aim of this work was to study the incidence of delirium after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and to compare the effects of dexmedetomidine and propofol on the incidence of postoperative delirium in coronary artery bypass graft surgery patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective, observational study was conducted on 180 consecutive patients undergoing off-pump or on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The patients were administered either intravenous dexmedetomidine (n = 90) or propofol (n = 90) after hemostasis was achieved, till they were ready for weaning from the ventilator. The Confusion Assessment Method was used to assess the incidence of postoperative delirium.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A total of 25 (13.8%) patients developed delirium after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Sedation with dexmedetomidine was associated with a significantly reduced incidence of postoperative delirium (8.9% v 18.9% propofol, P = 0.049). Subgroup analyses showed reduced incidence of postoperative delirium in off-pump patients compared to on-pump coronary artery bypass graft patients (3.3% vs. 20%, P = 0.009 dexmedetomidine group and 11.6% vs. 33.3%, P = 0.047 propofol group respectively). The mean age of the patients who had delirium was significantly more (64.9 ± 8.1 years vs. 52.5 ± 5.8 years, P = 0.046) compared to those who did not have delirium.

CONCLUSION

Administration of dexmedetomidine-based sedation resulted in the reduced incidence of postoperative delirium compared to propofol-based sedation in patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Effect of Perioperative Dexmedetomidine Infusion on Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients Undergoing Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Purpose

The aim of the study was to determine whether perioperative dexmedetomidine administration can improve postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Patients and Methods

This was a prospective double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial conducted in Cangzhou Central Hospital from December 2021 to March 2022. Patients aged 65 and older underwent oral and maxillofacial surgery under general anesthesia. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to dexmedetomidine or control group. Dexmedetomidine was injected intravenously from 10 min before induction of anesthesia to 30 min before the end of surgery in dexmedetomidine group, while patients in the control group were given normal saline at the same rate during the same time period. The primary measurement indicators were the incidence and duration of delirium in the first five days after surgery. The secondary measurement indicators were Visual Analogue Score (VAS) for the first 24 hours following surgery, subjective sleep quality score within 24 hours postoperatively and intraoperative adverse reactions.

Results

One hundred and twenty patients were randomly assigned. Baseline characteristics were similar between two groups. The incidence and duration of postoperative delirium did not differ statistically between two groups (all P > 0.05). Compared with control group, VAS scores in dexmedetomidine group were significantly lower at 6, 12, and 24 hours after surgery (all P < 0.05); moreover, Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (RCSQ) results were significantly improved 1 day after surgery in dexmedetomidine group (P < 0.05). Dexmedetomidine-related adverse reactions were similar in both groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine 10 min before induction of anesthesia to half an hour before the end of surgery did not improve postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgery; however, dexmedetomidine may be associated with decreased postoperative pain and improved postoperative sleep quality.

Effects of Glucocorticoids on Postoperative Neurocognitive Disorders in Adult Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Postoperative neurocognitive disorders (PNDs) is common among surgical patients, however, the effect of glucocorticoids for preventing PNDs is not clear. This review aims to evaluate the effect of glucocorticoids on the incidence of PNDs in adult patients undergoing surgery.

Methods

The databases of PubMed/Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of science were searched for all available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to April 30, 2022. RCTs comparing the effect of glucocorticoids with placebo on the incidence of PNDs in adult surgical patients (≥18 years old) were eligible. Subgroup analyses and meta-regressions were performed to evaluate sources of clinical heterogeneity. The level of certainty for main outcomes were assessed by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology.

Results

Eleven trials with a total of 10,703 patients were identified. Compared with the control group, glucocorticoids did not reduce the incidence of PNDs (RR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.67 to 1.06, P = 0.13, GRADE = moderate). Secondary analyses for primary outcome did not change the result. In addition, the length of ICU stay was decreased in glucocorticoids group (RR: −13.58, 95% CI: −26.37 to −0.80, P = 0.04, GRADE = low). However, there were no significant differences between groups with regards to the incidence of postoperative infection (RR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.84 to 1.06, P = 0.30, GRADE = moderate), blood glucose level (RR: 1.05, 95% CI: −0.09 to 2.19, P = 0.07, GRADE = low), duration of mechanical ventilation (RR: −2.44, 95% CI: −5.47 to 0.59, P = 0.14, GRADE = low), length of hospital stay (RR: −0.09, 95% CI: −0.27 to 0.09, P = 0.33, GRADE = moderate) and 30-day mortality (RR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.70 to 1.06, P = 0.16, GRADE = moderate).

Conclusions

This meta-analysis suggests that perioperative administration of glucocorticoids may not reduce the incidence of PNDs after surgery. The effect of glucocorticoids on decreased length of ICU stay needs further researches. Future high-quality trials using acknowledged criteria and validated diagnostic tools are needed to determine the influence of glucocorticoids on long-term PNDs.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022302262, identifier: CRD42022302262.

Alpha-2-adrenergic receptor agonists for the prevention of delirium and cognitive decline after open heart surgery (ALPHA2PREVENT): protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Postoperative delirium is common in older cardiac surgery patients and associated with negative short-term and long-term outcomes. The alpha-2-adrenergic receptor agonist dexmedetomidine shows promise as prophylaxis and treatment for delirium in intensive care units (ICU) and postoperative settings. Clonidine has similar pharmacological properties and can be administered both parenterally and orally. We aim to study whether repurposing of clonidine can represent a novel treatment option for delirium, and the possible effects of dexmedetomidine and clonidine on long-term cognitive trajectories, motor activity patterns and biomarkers of neuronal injury, and whether these effects are associated with frailty status.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This five-centre, double-blind randomised controlled trial will include 900 cardiac surgery patients aged 70+ years. Participants will be randomised 1:1:1 to dexmedetomidine or clonidine or placebo. The study drug will be given as a continuous intravenous infusion from the start of cardiopulmonary bypass, at a rate of 0.4 µg/kg/hour. The infusion rate will be decreased to 0.2 µg/kg/hour postoperatively and be continued until discharge from the ICU or 24 hours postoperatively, whichever happens first.Primary end point is the 7-day cumulative incidence of postoperative delirium (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition). Secondary end points include the composite end point of coma, delirium or death, in addition to delirium severity and motor activity patterns, levels of circulating biomarkers of neuronal injury, cognitive function and frailty status 1 and 6 months after surgery.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This trial is approved by the Regional Committee for Ethics in Medical Research in Norway (South-East Norway) and by the Norwegian Medicines Agency. Dissemination plans include publication in peer-reviewed medical journals and presentation at scientific meetings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05029050.

Successful Management of a Patient With a History of Postoperative Delirium Undergoing Cardiac Surgery With an Erector Spinae Plane Block and Multimodal Analgesia: A Case Report

Perioperative delirium is an acute confusional state with fluctuating levels of consciousness, which can be precipitated by opioid-based anesthetics and inadequate pain control, especially in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We seek to minimize opioid usage to avoid postoperative delirium in a patient with multiple risk factors undergoing aortic valve replacement. We used cardiac enhanced recovery after surgery protocols (ERAS-C), which include multimodal analgesia and regional anesthesia via bilateral erector spinae plane (ESP) blocks. Our observations suggest that bilateral ESP blocks and cardiac ERAS protocols offer a potential option to manage pain and control risk factors in patients at high risk of postoperative delirium undergoing cardiac surgery.

Effect of Dexmedetomidine Combined with Ropivacaine on Cognitive Dysfunction and Inflammatory Response in Patients Undergoing Craniocerebral Surgery

Objective

To study the effects of dexmedetomidine in combination with ropivacaine in patients undergoing craniocerebral surgery and their efficiency on cognitive function and inflammatory response of patients.

Methods

100 patients undergoing craniocerebral surgery in our hospital from November 2018 to September 2020 were randomly selected and divided into a control group and an experimental group by drawing lots, with 50 cases in each group. Patients in the control group received routine anesthesia, while those in the experimental group received 1 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine combined with 0.5% of ropivacaine for anesthesia to compare the anesthesia onset time, analgesic time, postoperative awake time, Social Disability Screening Schedule (SDSS) cognitive function score after waking, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score, Ramsay sedation score, incidence of adverse reactions, postoperative inflammatory factor expression levels, and changes in heart rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure at T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4 between the two groups.

Results

The anesthesia onset time, SDSS cognitive function score after waking, VAS pain score, Ramsay sedation score, incidence of adverse reactions, and postoperative inflammatory factor expression levels in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). The analgesic time and postoperative awake time in the experimental group were significantly longer than those in the control group, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the changes of heart rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure at T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4 between the two groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Dexmedetomidine combined with ropivacaine has high application value in craniocerebral surgery.

Major Publications in the Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Literature: 2020

OBJECTIVES

To summarize selected meta-analyses and trials related to critical care pharmacotherapy published in 2020.

DATA SOURCES

The Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Pharmacotherapy Literature Update group screened 36 journals monthly for impactful publications.

STUDY SELECTION

The group reviewed a total of 119 articles during 2020 according to relevance for practice.

DATA EXTRACTION

Articles were selected with consensus and importance to clinical practice from those included in the monthly Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology Pharmacotherapy Literature Update. The group reviewed articles according to Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations criteria. Articles with a 1A grade were selected.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Several trials were summarized, including two meta-analyses and five original research trials. Original research trials evaluating vitamin C, hydrocortisone, and thiamine versus hydrocortisone in sepsis, the use of nonsedation strategies, dexmedetomidine in cardiac surgery, remdesivir for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke. Two meta-analyses determining the impact of norepinephrine initiation in patients with septic shock and the use of corticosteroids in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 was included.

CONCLUSIONS

This clinical review provides summary and perspectives of clinical practice impact on influential critical care pharmacotherapy publications in 2020.

Is Perioperative Dexmedetomidine Associated With a Reduced Risk of Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorders Following Cardiac Surgery? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis With Trial Sequential Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background: To assess the effect of dexmedetomidine on the reducing risk of perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PNDs) following cardiac surgery.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis (TSA) of randomized controlled trials were performed. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases (to August 16, 2020) were searched for relevant articles to analyze the incidence of PND for intraoperative or postoperative dexmedetomidine administration after cardiac surgery. PND included postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) and postoperative delirium (POD).

Results: A total of 24 studies with 3,610 patients were included. Compared with the control group, the incidence of POD in the dexmedetomidine group was significantly lower (odds ratio [OR]: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.43–0.82, P = 0.001), with firm evidence from TSA. Subgroup analyses confirmed that dexmedetomidine reduced the incidence of POD with firm evidence following coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.26–0.79, P = 0.005), and intervention during the postoperative period (OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.34–0.67, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the incidence of POD in the dexmedetomidine group was also decreased in mixed cardiac surgery (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.47–0.98, P = 0.039). Irrespective of whether “Confusion Assessment Method/Confusion Assessment Method for intensive care unit” or “other tools” were used as diagnostic tools, the results showed a decreased risk of POD in the dexmedetomidine group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of POCD (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.22–1.03, P = 0.060) between the two groups, but this result lacked firm evidence from TSA.

Conclusion: The administration of dexmedetomidine during the perioperative period reduced the incidence of POD in patients after cardiac surgery, but there was no significant benefit in the incidence of POCD. The effect of dexmedetomidine on the incidence of POD or POCD following different types of surgery and the optimal dose and timing of dexmedetomidine warrant further investigation.

Trial registration: PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020203980. Registered on September 13, 2020.