Intranasal Dexmedetomidine-esketamine Combination and Postoperative Cognitive Recovery in Older Patients
Impact of Intranasal Dexmedetomidine-esketamine Combination on Neurocognitive Recovery in Older Patients After Noncardiac Surgery: a Randomized, Double-blind, and Placebo-controlled Trial
Postoperative neurocognitive disorders, including postoperative delirium (POD) and delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR), are common in older patients undergoing surgery and are associated with worse outcomes. Intranasal dexmedetomidine, esketamine, and their combination have been used in clinical practice to improve sleep quality and analgesia. A preliminary study suggested lower rates of emergence delirium and POD/dNCR in older patients receiving perioperative intranasal dexmedetomidine-esketamine. This randomized controlled trial is designed to test the hypothesis that perioperative administration of an intranasal dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination improves neurocognitive recovery in older patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.
Descripción general del estudio
Estado
Condiciones
Intervención / Tratamiento
Descripción detallada
Postoperative neurocognitive disorders, including postoperative delirium (POD) and delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR), are common in older patients undergoing surgery and are associated with prolonged hospitalization, worse functional recovery, and increased mortality. Disturbed sleep is a modifiable contributor: perioperative sleep disruption may amplify neuroinflammation, pain, and opioid requirements, creating a feed-forward loop that promotes neurocognitive complications.
Dexmedetomidine, a highly selective α2-adrenergic agonist, mimics aspects of physiological non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Intranasal dexmedetomidine has been used to improve perioperative sleep in older patients. Esketamine, the S-enantiomer of ketamine, provides analgesia and has rapid antidepressant effects. Intranasal esketamine is approved for treatment-resistant depression. Combined use of subanesthetic doses of esketamine and dexmedetomidine shows synergy in analgesia and anxiolysis, with fewer neuropsychiatric adverse effects.
Combining low doses of both agents for intranasal administration therefore targets several mechanisms implicated in POD and dNCR simultaneously (sleep restoration, analgesia, anxiolysis, and potentially reduced opioid consumption) via a noninvasive route feasible on surgical wards. A preliminary study suggested lower rates of emergence delirium and POD/dNCR in older patients receiving perioperative intranasal dexmedetomidine-esketamine.
This randomized controlled trial is designed to test the hypothesis that perioperative administration of an intranasal dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination improves neurocognitive recovery in older patients undergoing noncardiac surgery.
Tipo de estudio
Inscripción (Estimado)
Fase
- Fase 4
Contactos y Ubicaciones
Estudio Contacto
- Nombre: Dong-Xin Wang, MD, PhD
- Número de teléfono: 86 10 83572784
- Correo electrónico: wangdongxin@hotmail.com
Copia de seguridad de contactos de estudio
- Nombre: Huai-Jin Li, MD
- Número de teléfono: 86 10 83572460
- Correo electrónico: sophie.lee.coffee@gmail.com
Ubicaciones de estudio
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Beijing Municipality
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Beijing, Beijing Municipality, Porcelana, 100034
- Peking University First Hospital
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Contacto:
- Huai-Jin Li, MD
- Número de teléfono: +8613488659162
- Correo electrónico: sophie.lee.coffee@gmail.com
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Criterios de participación
Criterio de elegibilidad
Edades elegibles para estudiar
Acepta Voluntarios Saludables
Géneros elegibles para el estudio
Descripción
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age ≥65 years.
- Scheduled to undergo noncardiac surgery under general anesthesia with an expected operative duration >1 hour.
- Planned hospital stay of at least 1 day.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Nasal disease precluding intranasal administration (e.g., rhinitis, nasal polyps, or nasal congestion of any cause).
- Pre-existing schizophrenia, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, or myasthenia gravis.
- Inability to communicate preoperatively due to coma, severe dementia, or language disorder.
- History of craniocerebral injury or neurosurgery.
- Pre-existing sleep-disordered breathing (diagnosed sleep apnea or high risk of moderate-to-severe sleep apnea on the STOP-Bang questionnaire).
- History of hyperthyroidism or pheochromocytoma.
- Preoperative LVEF <30%, sick sinus syndrome, severe sinus bradycardia (heart rate <50 beats/min), or second-degree or higher atrioventricular block without a pacemaker.
- Severe hepatic dysfunction (Child-Pugh class C), severe renal impairment requiring preoperative dialysis, or ASA physical status ≥IV.
- Planned postoperative ICU admission.
- Known allergy or hypersensitivity to dexmedetomidine and/or esketamine.
- Any other condition that, in the judgment of the investigator, makes the patient unsuitable for enrollment.
Plan de estudios
¿Cómo está diseñado el estudio?
Detalles de diseño
- Propósito principal: Prevención
- Asignación: Aleatorizado
- Modelo Intervencionista: Asignación paralela
- Enmascaramiento: Cuadruplicar
Armas e Intervenciones
Grupo de participantes/brazo |
Intervención / Tratamiento |
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Experimental: DEX-ESK group
Participants in this group will receive intranasal administration of a dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination at bedtime (8-9 pm) three times: the night before surgery, the night of surgery, and the first postoperative night. |
Participants in this group will receive intranasal administration of a dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination at bedtime (8-9 pm) three times: the night before surgery, the night of surgery, and the first postoperative night.
Otros nombres:
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Comparador de placebos: Placebo group
Participants in this group will receive intranasal administration of placebo (0.9% saline) at bedtime (8-9 pm) three times: the night before surgery, the night of surgery, and the first postoperative night. |
Participants in this group will receive intranasal administration of placebo (0.9% saline) at bedtime (8-9 pm) three times: the night before surgery, the night of surgery, and the first postoperative night.
Otros nombres:
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¿Qué mide el estudio?
Medidas de resultado primarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
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Incidence of delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR) on postoperative day 4.
Periodo de tiempo: Up to 4 days after surgery.
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Cognitive function will be assessed with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA; scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better function) before surgery and on postoperative day 4 or at hospital discharge, whichever occurs first. Delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR) is defined as a decline from baseline of >1 SD in MoCA score. |
Up to 4 days after surgery.
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Medidas de resultado secundarias
Medida de resultado |
Medida Descripción |
Periodo de tiempo |
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Incidence of postoperative delirium within 3 days after surgery.
Periodo de tiempo: Up to 3 days after surgery.
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Delirium will be assessed twice daily during the first 3 postoperative days using the 3-minute Diagnostic Interview for Confusion Assessment Method (3D-CAM) in non-intubated patients and the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) in intubated patients. |
Up to 3 days after surgery.
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Incidence of delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR) on postoperative day 30.
Periodo de tiempo: At 30 days after surgery.
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Cognitive function will be assessed with the Telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment (T-MoCA; scores range from 0 to 22, with higher scores indicating better function) before surgery and on postoperative day 30. Delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR) is defined as a decline from baseline of >1 SD in T-MoCA score. |
At 30 days after surgery.
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Colaboradores e Investigadores
Patrocinador
Investigadores
- Investigador principal: Dong-Xin Wang, MD, PhD, Peking University First Hospital
Publicaciones y enlaces útiles
Publicaciones Generales
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- Molero P, Ramos-Quiroga JA, Martin-Santos R, Calvo-Sanchez E, Gutierrez-Rojas L, Meana JJ. Antidepressant Efficacy and Tolerability of Ketamine and Esketamine: A Critical Review. CNS Drugs. 2018 May;32(5):411-420. doi: 10.1007/s40263-018-0519-3.
- Schwenk ES, Viscusi ER, Buvanendran A, Hurley RW, Wasan AD, Narouze S, Bhatia A, Davis FN, Hooten WM, Cohen SP. Consensus Guidelines on the Use of Intravenous Ketamine Infusions for Acute Pain Management From the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018 Jul;43(5):456-466. doi: 10.1097/AAP.0000000000000806.
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- Sapkota A, Khurshid H, Qureshi IA, Jahan N, Went TR, Sultan W, Alfonso M. Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression in Adults: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2021 Aug 21;13(8):e17352. doi: 10.7759/cureus.17352. eCollection 2021 Aug.
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- 2026R0664
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