SynthesisFrontiers in psychiatry2026
Efficacy of esketamine on perioperative anxiety in patients receiving anesthesia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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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.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Esketamine for Postoperative Anxiety After Major Abdominal Tumor Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Drug design, development and therapy · 2026Trial
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of esketamine on perioperative anxiety, including its frequency, intensity, and score variations, across different surgical procedures by analyzing data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed across PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify relevant RCTs evaluating esketamine. Statistical analyses were conducted using Review Manager version 5.4 and Stata. Studies were included if they were RCTs involving anesthetized adult patients comparing esketamine with others, reporting of perioperative outcomes and sufficient data for meta-analysis. Studies were excluded for being reviews/editorials/case reports, conference abstracts, pediatric-focused, unpublished, or non-English. Primary outcomes contained change in anxiety/depression score and anxiety/depression Score. Secondary outcomes contained change in sleep/pain score and perioperation data. To assess publication bias, funnel plot visualization and Egger's test were employed. Results: A total of eight RCTs involving 1,101 participants fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The pooled analysis indicated that esketamine administration led to a significant reduction in perioperative anxiety levels compared to control interventions (SMD = -0.36; 95% CI: -0.67 to -0.06; p < 0.0001; I² = 84%). However, no statistically significant improvements were observed in sleep parameters, pain relief, surgical or anesthetic duration, or intraoperative metrics such as fluid administration, blood loss, urine output, or adverse event rates. Sensitivity analyses suggested variability in the anxiety-related outcomes, while findings related to depression remained consistent. Subgroup evaluations indicated a lack of measurable benefit in individuals under 40 years of age, those undergoing abdominal operations, and patients receiving spinal anesthesia. Conclusion: Esketamine shows promise in reducing anxiety during the perioperative period. Nonetheless, its effectiveness may depend on individual patient profiles and surgical settings. Further high-quality trials are needed to identify the most effective dosing regimens, delivery methods, and combination strategies to enhance efficacy and reduce side effects. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, PROSPERO identifier CRD420251050362.
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