Perioperative Cognitive Function - Dexmedetomidine and Cognitive Reserve

Summary

Elderly patients who undergo anesthesia and non-cardiac surgery are subject to deterioration of brain function including the development of postoperative delirium (PD) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). These disorders cause disability, distress for both patients and their families, are associated with other medical complications and account for significant additional health care costs. We currently use relatively primitive approaches to preventing and treating PD and POCD. Dexmedetomidine is a drug used for sedation in critically ill patients that provides some pain relief and controls the bodies response to stress. The sedation produced by dexmedetomidine appears more similar to natural sleep than any other drug used for anesthesia and postoperative sedation. Data suggesting that dexmedetomidine can prevent delirium following cardiac surgery and the developing understanding of the causes of PD and POCD suggest that dexmedetomidine will be particularly effective.

Timeline

Start

2008-02

Primary completion

2014-05

Completion

2014-05

Outcome

Missed primary endpoint

paper There was no difference in postoperative delirium between the dexmedetomidine and placebo groups (12.2% [23 of 189] vs 11.4% [23 of 201], P = .94). PMID 28593326 ↗

Publications

• Results Deiner S, Luo X, Lin HM, Sessler DI, Saager L, Sieber FE, Lee HB, Sano M; and the Dexlirium Writing Group; Jankowski C, Bergese SD, Candiotti K, Flaherty JH, Arora H, Shander A, Rock P. Intraoperative Infusion of Dexmedetomidine for Prevention of Postoperative Delirium and Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly Patients Undergoing Major Elective Noncardiac Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Surg. 2017 Aug 16;152(8):e171505. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2017.1505. Epub 2017 Aug 16.

Drugs

Indications