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Dexmedetomidine-esketamine and tDCS for Prevention of Neurocognitive Complications After Surgery

7 maggio 2026 aggiornato da: Dong-Xin Wang, Peking University First Hospital

Perioperative Use of Dexmedetomidine-esketamine Combination and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Prevention of Neurocognitive Complications in Older Patients After Non-cardiac Surgery: a 2×2 Factorial Trial

Neurocognitive complications, mainly delirium and neurocognitive disorders, are common cerebral complications in older patients after surgery and associated with worse outcomes. In previous studies, perioperative use of dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination improved analgesia and sleep quality after surgery. Perioperative use of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) also improved sleep quality and reduced delirium occurrence early after surgery. This 2×2 factorial trial is designed to investigate the effects of perioperative dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination and tDCS on early postoperative neurocognitive recovery and delirium occurrence in older patients.

Panoramica dello studio

Descrizione dettagliata

Alone with aging population, the number of older patients undergoing surgery is also increasing. Neurocognitive complications, mainly delirium and neurocognitive disorders, are common cerebral complications in older patients after surgery and associated with worse outcomes. Risk factors of postoperative neurocognitive complications are multifactorial and include predisposing and precipitating factors. Of these, older age and pre-existing cognitive decline are important predisposing factors; surgical trauma, postoperative pain, and postoperative sleep disturbances are important precipitating factors.

Dexmedetomidine is a highly selective alpha 2 adrenergic receptor agonist with sedative, analgesic, and anxiolytic effects. Perioperative use of dexmedetomidine improves analgesia and sleep quality after surgery, an relieves surgery-related stress response and inflammation. Accumulating evidence showed that perioperative dexmedetomidine decreased early postoperative delirium and delayed neurocognitive recovery in older patients. The effect of perioperative dexmedetomidine is dose-dependent; however, routine dose dexmedetomidine increases bradycardia and hypotension which are potentially harmful to older patients.

Ketamine is a noncompetitive N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist and has been used as an anesthetic and analgesic for decades. Esketamine is the S-enantiomer of ketamine and twice as potent as racemic ketamine. Recent studies found that subanesthetic dose of ketamine or esketamine is effective in improving analgesia and sleep quality and relieving depression; it also attenuated surgery-related stress response. However, even subanesthetic ketamine or esketamine increases neuropsychiatric side effects and is not recommended to be used alone for analgesia and sedation.

In clinical practice, the sedative effect of exmedetomidine is used to relieve the neuropsychiatric side effects of ketamine/esketamine, and the sympathomimetic effect of ketamine/esketamine can be used to counteract the sympatholytic effect of dexmedetomidine. Combination of dexmedetomidine and esketamine has been used for premedication in children and postoperative analgesia in adults and showed additive or synergistic effects. The investigators hypothesize that perioperative combined use of low dose dexmedetomidine and esketamine may be more effective in preventing postoperative delirium and delayed neurocognitive recovery in older patients.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique and increasingly used for treatment of various neurological diseases such as neurodevelopmental disorders and post-stroke dysphagia. Preliminary studies in the perioperative settings showed that perioperative use of tDCS improved sleep quality and reduced delirium occurrence early after surgery. The investigators hypothesize that perioperative use of tDCS may help reduce early postoperative delayed neurocognitive recovery in older patients.

This 2×2 factorial trial is designed to investigate the effects of perioperative dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination and tDCS on early postoperative neurocognitive recovery and delirium occurrence in older patients.

Tipo di studio

Interventistico

Iscrizione (Stimato)

1160

Fase

  • Fase 4

Contatti e Sedi

Questa sezione fornisce i recapiti di coloro che conducono lo studio e informazioni su dove viene condotto lo studio.

Contatto studio

Backup dei contatti dello studio

Luoghi di studio

    • Beijing Municipality
      • Beijing, Beijing Municipality, Cina, 100034
        • Peking University First Hospital
        • Contatto:
        • Contatto:
    • Fujian
      • Fuzhou, Fujian, Cina, 362011
        • Fujian Medical University Union Hospital
        • Contatto:
    • Guangdong
      • Shenzhen, Guangdong, Cina, 518036
        • Peking University Shenzhen Hospital
        • Contatto:
    • Shaanxi
      • Xi'an, Shaanxi, Cina, 710032
        • Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University
        • Contatto:
    • Zhejiang
      • Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Cina, 310006
        • First Affilited Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University
        • Contatto:
      • Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Cina, 310009
        • Second Affilited Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University
        • Contatto:

Criteri di partecipazione

I ricercatori cercano persone che corrispondano a una certa descrizione, chiamata criteri di ammissibilità. Alcuni esempi di questi criteri sono le condizioni generali di salute di una persona o trattamenti precedenti.

Criteri di ammissibilità

Età idonea allo studio

  • Adulto più anziano

Accetta volontari sani

Descrizione

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged 65 to 90 years;
  • Preoperative Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score < 27 points, indicating possible cognitive impairment ranging from mild to moderate;
  • Scheduled to undergo elective non-cardiac, non-neurosurgical surgery under general anesthesia, with an expected surgical duration > 1 hour;
  • Required patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) after surgery.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Preoperative inability to communicate due to coma, severe dementia, end-stage disease, or language impairment;
  • History of schizophrenia, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, brain trauma/surgery, or myasthenia gravis;
  • Presence of metal implants in the intracranial or cervical region (such as cochlear implants, aneurysm clips, deep brain stimulation electrodes), or skin damage or severe skin disease on the head;
  • Severe cardiac dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction < 30%), comorbid with sick sinus syndrome, severe bradycardia (heart rate < 50 bpm), or second-degree or higher atrioventricular block, or implantation of a cardiac pacemaker;
  • Uncontrolled hyperthyroidism or pheochromocytoma;
  • Severe liver dysfunction (Child-Pugh class C), severe renal dysfunction (requiring dialysis), or ASA classification ≥ IV;
  • Allergy to dexmedetomidine or esketamine;
  • Participation in other clinical studies within the past 3 months;
  • Other conditions that are deemed unsuitable for study participation.

Piano di studio

Questa sezione fornisce i dettagli del piano di studio, compreso il modo in cui lo studio è progettato e ciò che lo studio sta misurando.

Come è strutturato lo studio?

Dettagli di progettazione

  • Scopo principale: Prevenzione
  • Assegnazione: Randomizzato
  • Modello interventistico: Assegnazione fattoriale
  • Mascheramento: Quadruplicare

Armi e interventi

Gruppo di partecipanti / Arm
Intervento / Trattamento
Sperimentale: Dex-Esk + active tDCS
Participants will receive dexmedetomidine-esketamine (Dex-Esk) combination and active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

Active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will be administered using a battery-powered stimulator. The anode will be positioned over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, F3) and the cathode over the right supraorbital region (Fp2). The stimulation intensity will be set at 2.0 mA, featuring a 30-second linear ramp-up at the beginning and a 30-second ramp-down at the end of each session.

Each participant will receive a total of three 20-minute sessions of active tDCS. The first session will be provided at 40 minutes after extubation in the post-anesthesia care unit. Two other sessions will be provided on postoperative days 1 and 2 (between 10:00 and 12:00 am).

Altri nomi:
  • Active transcranial direct current stimulation

Dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination (1 μg/mL dexmedetomidine and 0.5 mg/mL esketamine) will be administered after anesthesia induction, firstly as a loading dose at a rate of [0.4 x body weight (kg)] mL/h for 30 minutes (0.2 μg/kg dexmedetomidine and 0.1 mg/kg esketamine), followed by a maintenance infusion at a rate of [0.1 x body weight (kg)] mL/h (0.1 μg/kg/h dexmedetomidine and 0.05 mg/kg/h esketamine) until one hour before the expected end of surgery.

Postoperative patient-controlled analgesia will be established with a 100 mL mixture (containing 1.0 μg/mL sufentanil, 1.25 μg/mL dexmedetomidine, and 0.25 mg/mL esketamine in normal saline), programmed to deliver 2-mL boluses with an 8-minute lockout interval and an 1-mL/h background infusion, and provided for 48 hours (at least 24 hours).

Altri nomi:
  • Dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination
Sperimentale: Dex-Esk + sham tDCS
Participants will receive dexmedetomidine-esketamine (Dex-Esk) combination and sham (placebo) transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

Sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will be administered using a battery-powered stimulator. The anode will be positioned over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, F3) and the cathode over the right supraorbital region (Fp2). To ensure blinding, the device will deliver a initial 30-second ramp-up to 2.0 mA followed immediately by a 30-second ramp-down to 0 mA. The device remains "ON" for the remaining 19 minutes with no effective current output, mimicking the peripheral scalp sensation without delivering cortical modulation.

Each participant will receive a total of three 20-minute sessions of sham tDCS. The first session will be provided at 40 minutes after extubation in the post-anesthesia care unit. Two other sessions will be provided on postoperative days 1 and 2 (between 10:00 and 12:00 am).

Altri nomi:
  • Simulata stimolazione transcranica a corrente continua

Dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination (1 μg/mL dexmedetomidine and 0.5 mg/mL esketamine) will be administered after anesthesia induction, firstly as a loading dose at a rate of [0.4 x body weight (kg)] mL/h for 30 minutes (0.2 μg/kg dexmedetomidine and 0.1 mg/kg esketamine), followed by a maintenance infusion at a rate of [0.1 x body weight (kg)] mL/h (0.1 μg/kg/h dexmedetomidine and 0.05 mg/kg/h esketamine) until one hour before the expected end of surgery.

Postoperative patient-controlled analgesia will be established with a 100 mL mixture (containing 1.0 μg/mL sufentanil, 1.25 μg/mL dexmedetomidine, and 0.25 mg/mL esketamine in normal saline), programmed to deliver 2-mL boluses with an 8-minute lockout interval and an 1-mL/h background infusion, and provided for 48 hours (at least 24 hours).

Altri nomi:
  • Dexmedetomidine-esketamine combination
Sperimentale: Placebo + active tDCS
Participants will receive placebo (normal saline) and active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

Active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will be administered using a battery-powered stimulator. The anode will be positioned over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, F3) and the cathode over the right supraorbital region (Fp2). The stimulation intensity will be set at 2.0 mA, featuring a 30-second linear ramp-up at the beginning and a 30-second ramp-down at the end of each session.

Each participant will receive a total of three 20-minute sessions of active tDCS. The first session will be provided at 40 minutes after extubation in the post-anesthesia care unit. Two other sessions will be provided on postoperative days 1 and 2 (between 10:00 and 12:00 am).

Altri nomi:
  • Active transcranial direct current stimulation

Placebo (normal saline) will be administered after anesthesia induction, firstly as a loading dose at a rate of [0.4 x body weight (kg)] mL/h for 30 minutes, followed by a maintenance infusion at a rate of [0.1 x body weight (kg)] mL/h until one hour before the expected end of surgery.

Postoperative patient-controlled analgesia will be established with a 100 mL mixture (containing 1.0 μg/mL sufentanil in normal saline), programmed to deliver 2-mL boluses with an 8-minute lockout interval and an 1-mL/h background infusion, and provided for 48 hours (at least 24 hours).

Altri nomi:
  • Soluzione salina normale
Comparatore placebo: Placebo + sham tDCS
Participants will receive placebo (normal saline) and sham (placebo) transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

Sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) will be administered using a battery-powered stimulator. The anode will be positioned over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC, F3) and the cathode over the right supraorbital region (Fp2). To ensure blinding, the device will deliver a initial 30-second ramp-up to 2.0 mA followed immediately by a 30-second ramp-down to 0 mA. The device remains "ON" for the remaining 19 minutes with no effective current output, mimicking the peripheral scalp sensation without delivering cortical modulation.

Each participant will receive a total of three 20-minute sessions of sham tDCS. The first session will be provided at 40 minutes after extubation in the post-anesthesia care unit. Two other sessions will be provided on postoperative days 1 and 2 (between 10:00 and 12:00 am).

Altri nomi:
  • Simulata stimolazione transcranica a corrente continua

Placebo (normal saline) will be administered after anesthesia induction, firstly as a loading dose at a rate of [0.4 x body weight (kg)] mL/h for 30 minutes, followed by a maintenance infusion at a rate of [0.1 x body weight (kg)] mL/h until one hour before the expected end of surgery.

Postoperative patient-controlled analgesia will be established with a 100 mL mixture (containing 1.0 μg/mL sufentanil in normal saline), programmed to deliver 2-mL boluses with an 8-minute lockout interval and an 1-mL/h background infusion, and provided for 48 hours (at least 24 hours).

Altri nomi:
  • Soluzione salina normale

Cosa sta misurando lo studio?

Misure di risultato primarie

Misura del risultato
Misura Descrizione
Lasso di tempo
Incidence of delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR)
Lasso di tempo: At 5 days after surgery or before hospital discharge

Cognitive function will be assessed at baseline and at 5 days after surgery (or before hospital discharge) using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA; scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive function).

Delayed neurocognitive decline (dNCR) is defined as: a |Z| value of decline in MoCA score ≥1.96. Z value = [(change from baseline in MoCA score in a surgical patient - mean change from baseline in MoCA score in the non-surgical group)] / (standard deviation of change from baseline in MoCA score in the non-surgical group).

At 5 days after surgery or before hospital discharge

Misure di risultato secondarie

Misura del risultato
Misura Descrizione
Lasso di tempo
Incidence of postoperative delirium
Lasso di tempo: Up to 4 days after surgery
Delirium will be assessed twice daily (8-10 am and 6-8 pm) using the 3-Dimensional Confusion Assessment Method (3D-CAM) for patients without intubation or the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) for patients with intubation.
Up to 4 days after surgery
Incidence of postoperative neurocognitive disorders (pNCD)
Lasso di tempo: At 30 days after surgery

Cognitive function will be assessed at baseline and at 30 days after surgery using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA; scores range from 0 to 30, with higher scores indicating better cognitive function).

Postoperative neurocognitive disorders (pNCD) is defined as: a |Z| value of decline in MoCA score ≥1.96. Z value = [(change from baseline in MoCA score in a surgical patient - mean change from baseline in MoCA score in the non-surgical group)] / (standard deviation of change from baseline in MoCA score in the non-surgical group).

At 30 days after surgery

Altre misure di risultato

Misura del risultato
Misura Descrizione
Lasso di tempo
Early postoperative pain intensity
Lasso di tempo: Up to 4 days after surgery

Pain intensity will be assessed twice daily (8-10 am and 6-8 pm) both at rest and with movement (coughing or turning over) using an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; scores range from 0 to 10 where 0=no pain and 10=the worst pain).

Pain intensity early after surgery will be summarized as the area under the curve (AUC) using the trapezoidal method.

Up to 4 days after surgery
Length of hospital stay (LOS) after surgery
Lasso di tempo: Up to 30 days after surgery
From the day of surgery until the day of hospital discharge.
Up to 30 days after surgery
Incidence of postoperative complications within 30 days
Lasso di tempo: Up to 30 days after surgery
Postoperative complications are defined as new-onset conditions that are deemed harmful and required therapeutic intervention, i.e., grade II or above on the Clavien-Dindo classification.
Up to 30 days after surgery
Subjective sleep quality at 30 days after surgery
Lasso di tempo: At 30 days after surgery
Subjective sleep quality at 30 days will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI; scores range from 0 to 21, with higher scores indicating poorer sleep quality).
At 30 days after surgery
Early postoperative subjective sleep quality
Lasso di tempo: Up to 4 nights after surgery

Subjective sleep quality will be assessed once daily (8-10 am) using an 11-point Numeric Rating Scale (NRS; scores range from 0 to 10 where 0=the best sleep and 10=the worst sleep.

Subjective sleep quality early after surgery will be summarized as the cumulative score of subjective sleep quality during the first 4 postoperative nights.

Up to 4 nights after surgery

Collaboratori e investigatori

Qui è dove troverai le persone e le organizzazioni coinvolte in questo studio.

Pubblicazioni e link utili

La persona responsabile dell'inserimento delle informazioni sullo studio fornisce volontariamente queste pubblicazioni. Questi possono riguardare qualsiasi cosa relativa allo studio.

Pubblicazioni generali

Studiare le date dei record

Queste date tengono traccia dell'avanzamento della registrazione dello studio e dell'invio dei risultati di sintesi a ClinicalTrials.gov. I record degli studi e i risultati riportati vengono esaminati dalla National Library of Medicine (NLM) per assicurarsi che soddisfino specifici standard di controllo della qualità prima di essere pubblicati sul sito Web pubblico.

Studia le date principali

Inizio studio (Stimato)

1 giugno 2026

Completamento primario (Stimato)

1 giugno 2029

Completamento dello studio (Stimato)

1 giugno 2030

Date di iscrizione allo studio

Primo inviato

2 maggio 2026

Primo inviato che soddisfa i criteri di controllo qualità

3 maggio 2026

Primo Inserito (Effettivo)

8 maggio 2026

Aggiornamenti dei record di studio

Ultimo aggiornamento pubblicato (Effettivo)

12 maggio 2026

Ultimo aggiornamento inviato che soddisfa i criteri QC

7 maggio 2026

Ultimo verificato

1 maggio 2026

Maggiori informazioni

Termini relativi a questo studio

Altri numeri di identificazione dello studio

  • 2026-1219
  • 82293644 (Altro numero di sovvenzione/finanziamento: National Natural Science Foundation of China)

Piano per i dati dei singoli partecipanti (IPD)

Hai intenzione di condividere i dati dei singoli partecipanti (IPD)?

NO

Informazioni su farmaci e dispositivi, documenti di studio

Studia un prodotto farmaceutico regolamentato dalla FDA degli Stati Uniti

No

Studia un dispositivo regolamentato dalla FDA degli Stati Uniti

No

Queste informazioni sono state recuperate direttamente dal sito web clinicaltrials.gov senza alcuna modifica. In caso di richieste di modifica, rimozione o aggiornamento dei dettagli dello studio, contattare register@clinicaltrials.gov. Non appena verrà implementata una modifica su clinicaltrials.gov, questa verrà aggiornata automaticamente anche sul nostro sito web .

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