Effect of Dexmedetomidine on Tear Production in Angioplasty Patients

January 2, 2026 updated by: Samar Rafik Mohamed Amin, Benha University

Effect of Dexmedetomidine Sedation on Tear Film in Patients Undergoing Angioplasty Under Local Anesthesia

During medical procedures performed under local anesthesia with sedation, such as angioplasty, the eyes may become dry because normal blinking and tear production can be reduced. Dexmedetomidine is a commonly used sedative that provides comfort and pain relief while allowing patients to breathe on their own. However, there is limited information about how dexmedetomidine affects tear production and eye comfort after procedures.

This study aims to evaluate whether sedation with dexmedetomidine affects tear production compared with standard sedative medications used during angioplasty. Adult patients undergoing angioplasty under local anesthesia will be randomly assigned to receive either dexmedetomidine sedation or standard sedation. Tear production will be measured using the Schirmer test before the procedure, shortly after the procedure, and 12 hours later. Patients will also be asked about eye dryness or discomfort, and any eye-related or sedation-related side effects will be recorded.

The results of this study may help improve eye safety and comfort in patients receiving sedation during angioplasty and guide the selection of sedative medications in clinical practice.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
52

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Egypt
    • Qalyubia Governorate
      • Banhā, Qalyubia Governorate, Egypt, 13511

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Scheduled for elective angioplasty (coronary PCI or peripheral angioplasty) under local anesthesia with planned procedural sedation.
  • Able to give informed consent and complete ocular symptom assessments.
  • Baseline Schirmer I ≥1 mm (to exclude complete anatomic lacrimal failure; you may alter this cutoff).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pre-existing moderate/severe dry eye disease or Sjögren's syndrome (history or OSDI >33).
  • Ocular surgery within prior 3 months or active ocular infection.
  • Contact lens use within 24 hours before baseline.
  • Chronic systemic medications known to substantially alter lacrimation (recent anticholinergics, high-dose tricyclics) unless stable and documented.
  • Known allergy to dexmedetomidine, midazolam, fentanyl, or propofol.
  • Significant bradycardia (HR <50) or high-degree AV block without pacemaker.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • Any condition making study participation or follow-up impossible.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Dexmedetomidine Sedation
Participants in this arm will be sedated with intravenous dexmedetomidine during angioplasty performed under local anesthesia. Dexmedetomidine will be administered as a loading dose (if clinically appropriate) followed by a continuous infusion titrated to achieve moderate sedation (RASS -2 to 0). Rescue sedation with small propofol boluses may be used if needed and will be recorded.
Drug: Dexmedetomidine
Dexmedetomidine will be administered intravenously for procedural sedation during angioplasty under local anesthesia. A loading dose of 0.4-0.6 µg/kg may be given over 10 minutes at the discretion of the anesthesiologist, followed by a continuous infusion of 0.2-0.7 µg/kg/hour titrated to achieve moderate sedation (RASS -2 to 0). Rescue sedation with small propofol boluses may be used if required and will be documented.
Active Comparator: Standard Sedation
Participants in this arm will receive standard sedation according to routine clinical practice during angioplasty under local anesthesia. Sedation may include intermittent intravenous boluses of midazolam with or without opioid analgesics (e.g., fentanyl) and/or small propofol boluses, titrated to achieve moderate sedation (RASS -2 to 0).
Drug: Sedation with Midazolam, Fentanyl, and Propofol
Standard sedation will be provided according to routine clinical practice during angioplasty under local anesthesia. Sedation may include intermittent intravenous boluses of midazolam, with or without opioid analgesics (e.g., fentanyl), and/or small propofol boluses, titrated to achieve moderate sedation (RASS -2 to 0). All administered drugs and cumulative doses will be recorded.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Tear Production Measured by Schirmer I Test
Time Frame: Baseline (30 minutes pre-procedure) to 30 minutes post-procedure
Change in tear production measured by the Schirmer I test (without topical anesthesia), calculated as the difference in millimeters (mm) between baseline (pre-procedure, awake) and immediate post-procedure measurement once the patient is responsive (Aldrete score ≥9). Measurements will be performed in a standardized manner by a trained, blinded assessor.
Baseline (30 minutes pre-procedure) to 30 minutes post-procedure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Immediate Post-Procedure Tear Production (Schirmer I Test)
Time Frame: 30-60 minutes after completion of the procedure
Tear production measured using the Schirmer I test (mm) immediately after the procedure, once the patient is responsive (Aldrete score ≥9), and compared between study groups.
30-60 minutes after completion of the procedure
Patient-Reported Dry Eye Symptoms
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-procedure), immediate post-procedure, and 12 hours post-procedure
Dry eye symptoms assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 = no dry eye symptoms and 10 = worst imaginable dry eye symptoms.
Baseline (pre-procedure), immediate post-procedure, and 12 hours post-procedure
Incidence of Ocular Adverse Events
Time Frame: From start of procedure to 12 hours post-procedure
Occurrence of ocular adverse events, including corneal abrasion, corneal epithelial defects, conjunctival hyperemia, blurred vision, or severe dry eye requiring ophthalmologic consultation.
From start of procedure to 12 hours post-procedure
Total Dexmedetomidine Dose
Time Frame: During the procedure
Total cumulative dose of dexmedetomidine administered during the procedure, expressed in micrograms (µg).
During the procedure

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Benha University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
January 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 20, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 16, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 8, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 8, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 2, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • RC.18.10.2025

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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