Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Dose‐dependent relationship between intra‐operative dexmedetomidine and delirium after non‐cardiac surgery: a retrospective cohort study*
Authors' conclusion
Low, but not high, dose dexmedetomidine administration was associated with lower risks of delirium, with optimal doses ranging between 0.25 μg.kg-1 and 0.35 μg.kg-1.
Study context
- Population
- Adults undergoing GA for non-cardiac, non-transplant surgery4,804 (4.2%) received dexmedetomidine
- Participants
- 114,786 adults
- Exposure
- Intra-operative dexmedetomidine low dose (≤ 0.49 μg.kg-1) or high dose (> 0.49 μg.kg-1) vs no dexmedetomidine
- Outcome
- Delirium (from discharge notes, Confusion Assessment Method assessments and diagnostic codes)
- Follow-up
- Within 7 days
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Postoperative delirium
Each group vs no dexmedetomidineAdjusted odds ratio (95% CI)P value
Low dose
0.61(0.44–0.85)
P = 0.004High dose
1.06(0.84–1.34)
P = 0.62- Postoperative delirium, whole cohort
- 3227 (2.8%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Cumulative dexmedetomidine dose
- Median (IQR [range]) cumulative dose, μg.kg-1
- 0.49 (0.28-0.84 [0.01-2.50])
Dose–response (fractional polynomial regression)
- Doses between 0.25 μg.kg-1 and 0.35 μg.kg-1 associated with the lowest delirium risk; confirmed by threshold regression and restricted cubic splines
Original publication
Dose‐dependent relationship between intra‐operative dexmedetomidine and delirium after non‐cardiac surgery: a retrospective cohort study*. Anaesthesia. Published 20 February 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →