Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40372453›Full record

SynthesisEuropean archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience2026

Antianxiety effects of dexmedetomidine: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Teng Gao, Xiaoxing Liu, Siyu Liu, Fanglin Liu, Yuchen Zhou, Shaoheng Wang, Na Zeng, Yanping Bao, Yuefu Wang, Lin Lu

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Trial
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Teng GaoInstitute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Huayuan Bei Road, Beijing, 100191, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5825-6541
Xiaoxing LiuInstitute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Huayuan Bei Road, Beijing, 100191, China.
Siyu LiuInstitute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Huayuan Bei Road, Beijing, 100191, China.
Fanglin LiuNational Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
Yuchen ZhouDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Surgical Critical Care Medicine, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No.10, Tieyi Road, Beijing, 100038, China.
Shaoheng WangDepartment of Anaesthesiology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
Na ZengNational Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
Yanping BaoNational Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
Yuefu WangDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Surgical Critical Care Medicine, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, No.10, Tieyi Road, Beijing, 100038, China. wangyuefu@hotmail.com.
Lin LuInstitute of Mental Health, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University, Huayuan Bei Road, Beijing, 100191, China. linlu@bjmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Chinese National Programs for Brain Science and Brain-like Intelligence Technology 2021ZD0200800
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDespite numerous studies of the anxiolytic effects of dexmedetomidine compared with those of other drugs or saline, the results have been inconsistent. Here we report a systematic review and meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the evidence of the anxiolytic effects of dexmedetomidine.

methodsThis research has been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov database were searched for clinical trials that compared the anxiolytic effects of dexmedetomidine with those of a control group with valid anxiety scores from inception to December 29, 2024.

resultsOverall, this systematic review and meta-analysis included 25 clinical studies with 2159 participants who underwent surgery. The primary outcome revealed that patients who were treated with dexmedetomidine had significantly lower anxiety scores than others did overall (MD = - 1.73, 95% CI = [ - 2.33, - 1.13], p < 0.00001, I

conclusionsOverall, this meta-analysis provided evidence of the potential of dexmedetomidine for relieving anxiety among patients who undergo surgery, with superior antianxiety effects compared with those of benzodiazepines.

Indexed as

Anti-Anxiety AgentsAnxietyDexmedetomidineOutcome Assessment, Health CareHumansAnti-Anxiety AgentsDexmedetomidineAnxietyBenzodiazepinesDexmedetomidineMeta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID40372453

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.