Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41344718›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Effect of low-dose remifentanil infusion on emergence agitation after general anaesthesia in patients undergoing intracranial surgery: study protocol of a randomised controlled trial.

Xin-Zhou Sun, Lei-Qiong Zha, Can-Ji Shou, Man-Tao Chen, Yong-Xing Yao

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Xin-Zhou SunDepartment of Anaesthesia, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Lei-Qiong ZhaDepartment of Anaesthesia, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Can-Ji ShouDepartment of Anaesthesia, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Man-Tao ChenDepartment of Neurosurgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Yong-Xing YaoDepartment of Anaesthesia, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China yaoyongxing@zju.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5458-8298

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionEmergence agitation (EA), defined as acute postoperative restlessness after general anaesthesia, is a common complication in the post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU). The reported incidence of EA is nearly 30% in neurosurgical surgery, which bears tremendous risks for neurosurgical patients. Although current evidence suggests that remifentanil may reduce EA risk in non-cardiac settings, its preventive efficacy in patients undergoing intracranial surgery remains unclear. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this single-centre, randomised, double-blind, parallel-group prospective clinical trial, patients scheduled for elective craniotomy will be screened to confirm their eligibility. After surgery under general anaesthesia, patients will be assigned to groups to receive either remifentanil or placebo infusion on admission to the PACU. The remifentanil group will be given remifentanil infusion at a dose of 0.1 µg/(kg×min), whereas the control group will be given the same volume of normal saline. The primary outcome is the effect of remifentanil on EA incidence during the emergence period. Secondary outcomes include the following: time to regain consciousness, extubation time, total PACU duration, extubation comfort score measured by the modified Minogue Scale, postoperative pain intensity assessed using a Numerical Rating Scale, awakening quality and postoperative delirium assessed by alertness and orientation score, and a 3-Minute Diagnostic Interview for Confusion Assessment Method. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol (V.4.0, dated 14 August 2025, No. 2025-0954) has been approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine and complies with the Declaration of Helsinki and relevant regulations for research involving human participants. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2500096691.

Indexed as

Analgesics, OpioidAnesthesia, GeneralAnesthetics, IntravenousCraniotomyEmergence DeliriumPsychomotor AgitationRemifentanilAdultAnesthesia Recovery PeriodDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHumansInfusions, IntravenousMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesAnalgesics, OpioidAnesthetics, IntravenousRemifentanilAnaesthesia in neurologyEmergence DeliriumNeurosurgery

Identifiers

PMID41344718
PMCPMC12684218

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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.