Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40710002›Full record

ReviewDiseases (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Analgesic and Neuroprotective Roles of Dexmedetomidine in Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Spyridoula Roberta Afrati, Ioanna Lianou, Angelos Kaspiris, Vasileios Marougklianis, Anastasia Kotanidou, Spiros G Pneumaticos

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Diseases (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Post-Operative Delirium in Elderly Patients: A Narrative Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
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

6 authors.

Spyridoula Roberta AfratiThird Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, KAT General Hospital of Athens, Nikis 2, 14561 Athens, Greece.
Ioanna LianouDepartment of Orthopaedics, "Agios Andreas" General Hospital of Patras-NHS, 262224 Patras, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-4014-889X
Angelos KaspirisThird Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, KAT General Hospital of Athens, Nikis 2, 14561 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0003-3265-5522
Vasileios MarougklianisThird Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, KAT General Hospital of Athens, Nikis 2, 14561 Athens, Greece.
Anastasia KotanidouFirst Department of Critical Care Medicine & Pulmonary Services, GP Livanos and M Simou Laboratories, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Evangelismos Hospital, 10676 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-2508-500X
Spiros G PneumaticosThird Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, KAT General Hospital of Athens, Nikis 2, 14561 Athens, Greece.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThe incidence of postoperative pain in patients that undergo spinal interventions is significantly increased, affecting their functional outcomes and quality of life. Dexmedetomidine (DEX) belongs to the category of centrally acting nonopioid agents with highly selective α2 adrenoreceptor agonist activity that are frequently applied in spinal surgery based on its antinociceptive and anxiolytic properties. Although many studies displayed the effectiveness of DEX in postoperative pain management, the impact of DEX on functional improvement after spinal surgeries is still debatable. PURPOSE: This systematic review focuses on the intraoperative and postoperative role of dexmedetomidine (DEX) as an analgesic agent in elective and emergency adult spine surgery.

methodsAn electronic literature review search was conducted via Web of Science and PubMed to assess the impact of DEX on postoperative pain management, postoperative delirium (POD), and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). DISCUSSION: Twenty-one studies were retrieved, three of which were review articles. The effects of DEX were studied for up to 48 h postoperatively. In most cases, its administration was associated with reduced intraoperative and postoperative opioid consumption. However, findings on pain control were less conclusive due to heterogeneity in dosing protocols, concomitant medications, the timing of administration, and pain scoring systems. DEX appears to reduce the incidence of POD and POCD, particularly when used in combination with other drugs.

conclusionsAlthough the present study supports that the intraoperative administration of dexmedetomidine decreases the pain intensity and/or opioid consumption as well as the development of POD and POCD in patients undergoing spinal surgeries during the first 24 h postoperatively, the current literature should be expanded to allow for the safe generalisation of findings over longer follow-up periods. Further research into the neuroprotective, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory roles of DEX is warranted.

Indexed as

analgesicsdeliriumdexmedetomidineopioidspain

Identifiers

PMID40710002
PMCPMC12293605

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Registered trials

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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.