Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42380994›Full record

Trial reportBMC anesthesiology2026

Effects of remimazolam vs. propofol on plasma neurofilament light chain and postoperative delirium in frail elderly patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery: a prospective, randomized, assessor-blinded controlled trial.

Xin-Yao He, Shi-Hua Zhang, Lei Xie, Jing-Ting Bao, Ming-Zi An, Zhen-Ping Li, Qing-He Zhou, Xiao-Yu Jia

Abstract readRandomized Controlled TrialComparative Study
In one paragraph

Trial report 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.

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

8 authors.

Xin-Yao He *Anesthesia Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang Province, China.
Shi-Hua Zhang *Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Jiaxing First Hospital, No. 1882, Zhonghuan South Road, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, 314000, China.
Lei Xie *Anesthesia Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang Province, China.
Jing-Ting BaoAnesthesia Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang Province, China.
Ming-Zi AnDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Jiaxing First Hospital, No. 1882, Zhonghuan South Road, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, 314000, China.
Zhen-Ping LiDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Jiaxing First Hospital, No. 1882, Zhonghuan South Road, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, 314000, China.
Qing-He ZhouDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, 1518 North Ring City Road, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, 314000, China. zqh10980@zjxu.edu.en.
Xiao-Yu JiaDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Jiaxing First Hospital, No. 1882, Zhonghuan South Road, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, 314000, China. jiaxy0970@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7308-6755

Funding

Zhejiang Medical Association Clinical Medicine Special Fund Project 2024ZYC-Z105Zhejiang Provincial Key Clinical Specialty-Anesthesiology 2023-ZC-001Zhejiang Provincial Traditional Chinese Medical Innovation Team 2022-19
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe relationship between remimazolam administration and early neurological complications, particularly postoperative delirium (POD), in elderly patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery remains unclear. Plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a potential biomarker for central nervous injury. This study aims to compare the effects of remimazolam and propofol on postoperative plasma NfL concentrations and the incidence of POD in frail elderly patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery.

methodsThis was a single-center randomized controlled trial on frail patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery. Participants were randomized to receive either Remimazolam (Group R) or Propofol (Group P) for induction and maintenance of general anesthesia, with all other anesthetic management standardized. The primary outcome was plasma NfL concentration on postoperative day 1, and the incidence of POD was assessed as a key clinical secondary endpoint. The secondary endpoint encompassed the incidence of hypotension during the anesthesia induction, as well as the time-weighted average of the area under the curve below the baseline for mean arterial pressure (AUB-MAP).

resultsA total of 123 patients were enrolled. No significant differences were observed in plasma NfL concentrations on postoperative day 1 between Group R and Group P (123.3[83.6-198.2] vs. 149.0[102.0-226.6], pg/ml, P = 0.186, respectively); and similarly, no differences in POD were found between Group R and Group P (6/62[9.7%] vs. 7/61[11.5%], unadjusted odds ratio 0.827, 95% CI 0.261-2.62, P = 0.746). In the secondary outcomes, the incidence of hypotension during the anesthesia induction in Group R was significantly decreased (3[4.8%] vs. 19[31.3%], P < 0.001). And the time-weighted average of AUB-MAP in Group R was higher than Group P (-21.3 ± 10.7 vs. -25.4 ± 9.6, mmHg, P = 0.03).

conclusionsIn frail elderly patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery, remimazolam group shows no significant difference from propofol in plasma NfL levels or POD incidence on the first day. Due to its advantage in maintaining hemodynamic stability, remimazolam may be a safer anesthetic option for frail patients sensitive to hemodynamic changes.

trial registrationChinese Clinical Trials Registry, ChiCTR2400093862.

Indexed as

Emergence DeliriumNeurofilament ProteinsPostoperative ComplicationsPropofolAgedAged, 80 and overAnesthesia, GeneralAnesthetics, IntravenousBenzodiazepinesBiomarkersFemaleFrail ElderlyGeriatric AnesthesiaHumansMaleProspective StudiesAnesthetics, IntravenousBenzodiazepinesBiomarkersneurofilament protein LNeurofilament ProteinsPropofolremimazolamFrail elderly patientsNeurofilament light chainNon-cardiac surgeryPostoperative deliriumRemimazolam

Identifiers

PMID42380994
PMCPMC13587520

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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.