Perioperative medicine & outcomes
Effects of perioperative benzodiazepine administration on postoperative patient-reported outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors' conclusion
Benzodiazepine administration in the perioperative period probably has no effect on postoperative pain or quality of recovery and has an uncertain effect on patient satisfaction (very low certainty evidence). When compared with placebo or another agent, benzodiazepines might result in higher levels of postoperative anxiety.
Study context
- Population
- Adults undergoing inpatient surgery93 RCTs in quantitative synthesis
- Comparison
- Perioperative benzodiazepines vs non-benzodiazepine comparators
- Outcome
- Postoperative patient-reported outcomes: pain, quality of recovery, patient satisfaction, and anxiety
Methodological detailsrandom-effects model, GRADE certainty assessment
- Random-effects model
- GRADE certainty assessment
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
- No effect on postoperative pain (moderate certainty)
- No effect on quality of recovery (moderate certainty)
- No effect on patient satisfaction (very low certainty)
Further pooled results
| Outcome | Mean difference (points) (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Postoperative anxiety (20-80 State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale)22 trials, n=2165; I2=90% · low certainty evidence | 2.18 (1.05–3.30) | |
| −2024Difference, points (linear scale) |
Original publication
Effects of perioperative benzodiazepine administration on postoperative patient-reported outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Br J Anaesth. Published 27 October 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →