SynthesisPloS one2019
Dexmedetomidine for the prevention of postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing noncardiac surgery: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 39 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
39 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 77 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of dexmedetomidine on perioperative neurocognitive disorders in elderly patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery: a scoping review.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy of perioperative dexmedetomidine in postoperative pain and neurocognitive functions in orthopedic surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis of randomized controlled trials.International journal of surgery (London, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine during the surgery to prevent postoperative delirium and postoperative cognitive dysfunction undergoing non-cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.European journal of medical research · 2024Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Melatonin and Its Analogs for Prevention of Post-cardiac Surgery Delirium: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Effects of dexmedetomidine on neurocognitive disturbance after elective non-cardiac surgery in senile patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The Journal of international medical research · 2021Pooled it
- Intraoperative Dexmedetomidine and Postoperative Delirium After Head and Neck Cancer Surgery with Free-Flap Reconstruction: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.Drug design, development and therapy · 2026Trial
- Ketofol versus Dexmedetomidine for preventing postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing intestinal obstruction surgeries: a randomized controlled study.BMC anesthesiology · 2024Trial
- 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.BMC anesthesiology · 2023Trial
- Efficacy and Safety of Remimazolam Besylate versus Dexmedetomidine for Sedation in Non-Intubated Older Patients with Agitated Delirium After Orthopedic Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Drug design, development and therapy · 2022Trial
- Dexmedetomidine for prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications in patients after oral and maxillofacial surgery with fibular free flap reconstruction:a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.BMC anesthesiology · 2020Trial
- Cipepofol versus Conventional Sedation for Pneumonia Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: A Real-World Retrospective Study of Effectiveness and Hemodynamic Safety.Drug design, development and therapy · 2026Observational
- Post-Operative Delirium in Elderly Patients: A Narrative Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Comparison of midazolam and dexmedetomidine on postoperative delirium in older patients undergoing total knee replacement under spinal anesthesia.Perioperative medicine (London, England) · 2025Article
- Molecular and Clinical Considerations for Anesthesia in the Aging Brain.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Review
- Dexmedetomidine for postoperative delirium in surgical patients: a mini-review of mechanisms, clinical evidence, and practical implementation.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2025Review
- Postoperative Delirium in a Randomized Trial of Intraoperative Norepinephrine versus Phenylephrine Infusion.Anesthesiology · 2025Article
- Strategies to prevent postoperative delirium: a comprehensive evaluation of anesthesia selection and drug intervention.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Review
- Frailty: the perioperative and anesthesia challenges of an emerging pandemic.Journal of anesthesia · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPostoperative delirium (POD) among the elderly population that undergoes noncardiac surgery is significantly associated with adverse clinical outcomes. We conducted this meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of dexmedetomidine for the prophylaxis of POD among the elderly population after noncardiac surgery.
methodsWe searched Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library from inception date to March 2019 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared dexmedetomidine and placebo for the prevention of POD and evaluated the major cardiovascular outcomes among elderly people after noncardiac surgery. Two authors independently screened the studies and extracted data from the published articles. The main outcome was the incidence of POD. The secondary outcomes included the occurrence of bradycardia, hypotension, hypertension, tachycardia, myocardial infarction, stroke, hypoxaemia, and all-cause mortality.
resultsA total of 6 RCTs with 2102 participants were included. Compared with placebo, dexmedetomidine significantly reduced the prevalence of POD (RR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.34-0.76, P = 0.001, I2 = 66%), and the risk of tachycardia (RR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.30-0.76, P = 0.002, I2 = 0%), hypertension (RR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.44-0.79, P < 0.001, I2 = 20%), stroke (RR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.06-0.76, P = 0.02, I2 = 0%), and hypoxaemia (RR = 0.50, 95% CI 0.32-0.78, P = 0.002, I2 = 0%) in elderly patients who underwent noncardiac surgery. However, dexmedetomidine accelerated the occurrence of bradycardia (RR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.11-1.67, P = 0.003, I2 = 0%). Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the incidence of hypotension, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality between the dexmedetomidine and placebo groups.
conclusionsAmong elderly patients after noncardiac surgery, the prophylactic use of dexmedetomidine, compared with the use of placebo, was related to a decline in the incidence of POD.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.