Observational studyBMC anesthesiology2026
Exploring the relative stability of automated infrared pupillometry parameters under sedative and analgesic exposure after cardiac surgery.
Observational study in BMC anesthesiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAutomated infrared pupillometry (AIP) provides a quantitative, non-invasive, and reproducible method for assessing the pupillary light reflex, which is mediated by brainstem pathways. Although AIP has been increasingly used in critical care settings, interpretation of pupillary parameters may be confounded by the administration of sedatives and analgesics. However, the influence of these medications on individual AIP parameters in postoperative intensive care unit patients remains insufficiently characterized. This proof-of-concept pilot study aimed to identify pupillometric parameters that remain relatively stable under routine sedative and analgesic exposure following elective cardiovascular surgery.
methodsThis prospective observational study included 10 patients admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) after elective open-heart surgery. AIP parameters and bispectral index (BIS) values were measured postoperatively at predefined time points from CCU admission to extubation. Temporal changes in each parameter were analyzed descriptively using within-patient comparisons over the postoperative course.
resultsThe Neurological Pupil Index (NPi) and latency (LAT) showed minimal temporal variation throughout the observation period. In contrast, BIS values increased progressively after surgery, accompanied by gradual increases in constriction percentage (CH), mean contraction velocity (CV), and maximum contraction velocity, whereas mean dilation velocity remained relatively unchanged over time. When comparing predefined postoperative time points immediately after CCU admission and after extubation, only CH showed an increase (median [interquartile range]: 0.45 [0.38-0.52] vs. 0.68 [0.60-0.73]; p = 0.02).
conclusionsIn this small postoperative cohort, NPi and LAT were relatively more stable than other pupillometric parameters under routine sedative and analgesic exposure. However, given the limited sample size and the absence of neurological complications, these findings should be interpreted as descriptive and hypothesis-generating, and no conclusions can be drawn regarding clinical utility for neurological monitoring or prognostication. In contrast, CH and CV require cautious interpretation, as they may be influenced by pharmacological agents rather than by the underlying neurological status.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.