Effect of Esketamine on Postoperative Delirium in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Valve Replacement with Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

A single intravenous dose of esketamine (0.25 mg/kg) given before anesthesia induction lowers the risk of postoperative delirium in adults undergoing on-pump cardiac valve surgery. In a randomized controlled trial of 112 patients (average age 52 years, 53.6% female), delirium occurred in 23.2% of those given esketamine versus 44.6% in the placebo group, a relative risk reduction of about half. Esketamine also reduced the number of patients with multiple delirium episodes and the hyperactive subtype. The results suggest esketamine is an effective preventive intervention for delirium in this surgical population.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of esketamine on the risk of postoperative delirium (POD) in adults undergoing on-pump cardiac valve surgery. In this randomized, triple-blind, controlled trial, 116 adult patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade Ⅱ or Ⅲ and a New York Heart Association (NYHA) grade Ⅱ or Ⅲ who underwent cardiac valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were included. Esketamine (0.25 mg/kg) or normal saline was administered intravenously before anesthesia induction. The primary outcome was POD, defined as a positive delirium assessment according to the 3-minute confusion assessment method (CAM) or the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit (CAM-ICU) on a twice-daily basis for 7 days after surgery. Delirium duration and the delirium subtype were also recorded. The cognitive status of patients was measured according to the Mini-Mental State Examination at baseline, discharge, 30 days postoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. A total of 112 patients (mean age, 52 years; 53.6% female) were enrolled; 56 were assigned to receive esketamine, and 56 were assigned to receive placebo. POD occurred in 13 (23.2%) patients in the esketamine group and in 25 (44.6%) patients in the placebo group (relative risk [RR], 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28-0.91; P = .018). Thirteen patients (23.2%) in the esketamine group and 24 (42.9%) patients in the placebo group had multiple episodes of delirium (RR, 0.54, 95% CI, 0.28-0.92), and 13 (23.2%) vs 22 (39.3%) patients exhibited the hyperactive subtype. A single dose of esketamine (0.25 mg/kg) injected intravenously before anesthesia induction reduced the incidence of delirium in relatively young patients with ASA grade Ⅱ or Ⅲ who underwent on-pump cardiac surgery.