Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41499049›Full record

SynthesisJournal of neuroimmune pharmacology : the official journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology2026

Dexmedetomidine Mitigates Sevoflurane-Induced Neurodevelopmental Effects in Paediatric Anaesthesia: A Meta-Analysis and Preclinical Study.

Hsuan-Chih Lao, Chia-Wei Huang, Ssu-Han Wang, Yen-Lin Su, Chien-Hui Chang, Cheng-Yen Liao, Jen-Chieh Wu, Ying-Chun Lin, Jin-Wu Tsai

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology : the official journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

9 authors.

Hsuan-Chih Lao *Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No.155, Sec.2, Linong Street, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
Chia-Wei Huang *Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No.155, Sec.2, Linong Street, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
Ssu-Han WangDepartment of Medicine, MacKay Medical University, New Taipei, Taiwan.
Yen-Lin SuInstitute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No.155, Sec.2, Linong Street, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
Chien-Hui ChangInstitute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No.155, Sec.2, Linong Street, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
Cheng-Yen LiaoInstitute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No.155, Sec.2, Linong Street, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
Jen-Chieh WuInstitute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No.155, Sec.2, Linong Street, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
Ying-Chun LinDepartment of Anesthesiology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Jin-Wu TsaiInstitute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, No.155, Sec.2, Linong Street, Taipei, 112, Taiwan. tsaijw@nycu.edu.tw.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Sevoflurane (Sevo) anaesthesia in children is linked to an increased incidence of postoperative emergence agitation (EA) and potential neurotoxicity in developing brains. However, the specific risks of subanaesthetic foetal or neonatal exposure to Sevo remain unclear. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of combining dexmedetomidine (Dex) with Sevo to manage EA in paediatric anaesthesia. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials involving children under 8 years old revealed that Dex significantly reduces EA incidence when administered via intravenous, perineural, and intranasal routes. Using in utero electroporation, we found that pregnant mice exposed to 2.5% Sevo at embryonic days 14.5 and 15.5 exhibited transient neuronal migration deficits, with 25% of neurons delayed in deeper cortical layers. However, these neurons migrated to the cortex by postnatal day 8. Neonatal mice exposed to 2.5% Sevo experienced a 10% reduction in dendritic spine density in adolescence, associated with impaired somatosensory function, as assessed by the Von Frey test. Remarkably, Dex pretreatment ameliorated these pathological and functional changes. Thus, foetal or neonatal Sevo exposure can delay neuronal migration and reduce dendritic spine density. Dex co-administration effectively mitigates these adverse outcomes, supporting its potential use in paediatric anaesthesia to protect developing brains.

Indexed as

Anesthetics, InhalationDexmedetomidineEmergence DeliriumSevofluraneAnimalsBrainChildFemaleHumansMicePregnancyRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAnesthetics, InhalationDexmedetomidineSevofluraneDendritic spineDexmedetomidineEmergence agitationNeuronal migrationPreschoolerSevoflurane

Identifiers

PMID41499049
PMCPMC12779744

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.