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Effect of General and Non-general Anesthesia on Perioperative Depression or Anxiety

The Associations Between Perioperative Depression or Anxiety, Salivary Cortisol and α-amylase, and Administered Anesthesia Type in Knee Arthroscopy With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR): Prospective, Randomized Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05315648
Enrollment
162
Registered
2022-04-07
Start date
2021-10-20
Completion date
2024-01-30
Last updated
2024-06-17

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Depression, Anxiety

Keywords

perioperative anxiety or depression, general anesthesia, salivary cortisol, salivary α-amylase, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, stress response, non-general anesthesia

Brief summary

Perioperative depression and/or anxiety play a critical role in patient presentation, satisfaction and outcomes. The aim of this study is to assess the level of perioperative depression and/or anxiety in patients with arthroscopic knee surgery and to evaluate their relationship with anesthesia approach (general anesthesia or non general anesthesia). The perioperative characteristic of depression or anxiety is assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaires and the level of salivary cortisol, salivary α-amylase (sAA) and blood glucose.

Detailed description

The incidence of perioperative anxiety has been reported to range from 11% to 80% among adult patients. Perioperative depression and/or anxiety may increase the risk of poor postoperative outcomes including increased morbidity and mortality , increased health care utilization, increased opioid consumptions and pain scores, and decreased quality of recovery. Previous studies have found that worrying about postoperative pain, unease of separation from family, loss of selfcare and work ability, fear of surgery and even death are common factors leading to perioperative anxiety symptoms. The investigators found there were not enough studies to gain insights into the public's knowledges, attitudes, and concerns regarding the risks associated with anesthesia. To some, the fear of general anesthesia (GA) remains prevalent, especially with regard to possible brain damage, death, and intraoperative awareness. The others, neuraxial anesthesia was supposed to result in potentially complications, including postdural puncture headache, backache, transient neurological symptoms, epidural hematoma and abscess, meningitis, arachnoiditis, postoperative urinary retention, local anesthetic systemic toxicity. Such fears can even exceed the anxiety about actual surgery. Actually, anesthesia approach can be selected based on patients and anesthesiologists preference. The investigators assumed from clinical experiences that effects of different anesthetic approach and anesthetic drugs on stress reaction, perioperative blood glucose, immunity or neuroendocrine during surgical operation were different, which resulted different prognosis of patients. The perioperative characteristic of depression or anxiety is assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaires, salivary cortisol, salivary α-amylase (sAA) and blood glucose. Salivary cortisol and a-amylase are produced respectively by the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic-adrenomedullary (SAM) system during stress response, still not included in the routine evaluation of perioperative physiological stress response. The application of these tests require additional and definitive validation. In our study, salivary cortisol and a-amylase are measured as stress biomarkers to examine their associations with anesthetic approach.The correlation between salivary cortisol and serum cortisol was excellent in dynamic tests of adrenal function (dexamethasone suppression, adreno-cortico-tropic-hormone stimulation), in healthy subjects and in patients with adrenal insufficiency, in tests of circadian variation and in randomly collected samples. The rate of equilibrium of cortisol between blood and saliva was very fast, being less than 5 minutes. Since only free levels of cortisol are detected in saliva, salivary cortisol is suggested to be a more appropriate measure for the clinical assessment of adrenocortical function than serum cortisol. sAA has been proposed as a sensitive biomarker for stress-related changes in the body that reflect the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, and a growing body of research is accumulating to support the validity and reliability of this parameter. Numerous studies applying stress protocols have demonstrated that salivary a-amylase is highly sensitive to stress-related changes. The investigators are trying to recruit patients who are scheduled to undergo knee arthroscopy with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) for the first time. Those patients will be randomly assigned to general anesthesia (GA) group or non-general anesthesia (NGA) group. Patients in GA group will received general anesthesia combined with femoral nerve block (FNB). Patients in NGA group will received neuraxial anesthesia combined with FNB, and without sedation. All patients received routine anesthesia and surgical protocols and will be sent to the postoperative recovery unit (PACU) after surgery. Intraoperative vital signs, analgesic usage, and duration of surgery were recorded. The primary outcomes are HADS scores , salivary cortisol, sAA, blood glucose,swelling ratings postoperatively, temperature ratings postoperatively and hospital stay. Secondary outcomes are analgesic usage intraoperative and postoperative, anesthesia induction pain score, postoperative pain score, duration of stay in the recovery unit, incidences of complications about relevant anesthesia. The Patients Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a 14-item scale (7 items each for anxiety and depression), with each item scored from 0 to 3. Salivary cortisol, sAA and blood glucose levels will be tested in the morning one day before operation (T0), on the day of operation (T1), 2 hours after operation (T2), the first morning after operation (T3), the second morning after operation (T4). The investigators will conduct subgroup analysis based on the patients' anesthesia wishes (conform to patient's wishes, against patient's wishes, no original opinion) to address the influence of anaesthesia practice and perioperative stress response.

Interventions

PROCEDUREanesthesia approach (general anesthesia or non-general anesthesia)

patients in group GA received general anesthesia followed with FNB. patients in group NGA received CSEA followed with FNB

Sponsors

Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Both the investigator and the outcomes assessor doing follow-up interviews and extracting data from the electronic medical records will be blinded to group allocation and treatment interventions. The patients know the allocation, cause patients in group NGA will not receive any sedation.

Intervention model description

Patients will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio into two groups, group GA and group NGA, using a random number generator. This allocation will be written and stored in an opaque, secure envelope. Patients in group GA will receive general anesthesia followed by femoral nerve block. Patients in group NGA will receive combined spinal-epidural anesthesia followed by femoral nerve block.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Participants will be scheduled to receive anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction of knee joint for the first time * American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I or II * The operation time is less than 2 hours (from the beginning use of the tourniquet to the release)

Exclusion criteria

* Clinical diagnosis of anxiety or depression or mania * Clinical diagnosis of systemic diseases (systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, primary aldosteronism, Cushing syndrome) * Medication history of cortisol or sedative hypnotic drugs * Tumor patients * Smoking * Pregnancy status * Diabetes * Drinking coffee or alcohol drinks during perioperative period

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The rate of Anxiety symptoms (HADS-A)one day before surgery, 1day, 3 days after surgery and 5 days after surgery while in hospitalThe HADS scale includes two dimensions of anxiety and depression, with a total of 14 items, 7 items for anxiety and 7 items for depression. The score for each individual item could vary from 0 to 3, so that the total score for each scale about anxiety (HADS-A) ranges from 0 to 21. If the score was 0-7, indicating that there was no anxiety; the score was 8-10, suspected anxiety; 11-14, moderate anxiety; the score was 15-21, severe anxiety. If the score is ≥ 8, it will be rated as positive, otherwise it will be rated as negative.
The rate of Depression symptoms (HADS-D)one day before surgery, 1day, 3 days after surgery and 5 days after surgery while in hospitalThe HADS scale includes two dimensions of anxiety and depression, with a total of 14 items, 7 items for anxiety and 7 items for depression. The score for each individual item could vary from 0 to 3, so that the total score for each scale about depression (HADS-D) ranges from 0 to 21. If the score was 0-7, indicating that there was no depression; the score was 8-10, suspected depression; 11-14, moderate depression; the score was 15-21, severe depression. If the score is ≥ 8, it will be rated as positive, otherwise it will be rated as negative.
The changes of salivary cortisol concentrationon the day of surgery (6 - 8 am), at 2 hours after surgery, the first morning after surgery (6 - 8 am) and the second morning after surgery (6 - 8 am)Enzyme immunoassay for the quantitative determination of free Cortisol in human saliva.The patient should not eat, drink, chew gums or brush teeth for 30 min before sampling.Otherwise rinse mouth thoroughly with cold water 5 min prior to sample collection.A minimum of 0.5 mL liquid should be collected. Saliva flow can be stimulated by chewing on a piece of Parafilm.
The changes of Saliva α- amylase activityon the day of surgery (6 - 8 am), at 2 hours after surgery, the first morning after surgery (6 - 8 am) and the second morning after surgery (6 - 8 am)Enzymatic assay for the determination of alpha amylase activity in human saliva.The patient should not eat, drink, chew gums or brush teeth for 30 min before sampling.Otherwise rinse mouth thoroughly with cold water 5 min prior to sample collection.A minimum of 0.5 mL liquid should be collected. Saliva flow can be stimulated by chewing on a piece of Parafilm.
The changes of Blood glucose levelon the day of surgery (6 - 8 am), at 2 hours after surgery, the first morning after surgery (6 - 8 am) and the second morning after surgery (6 - 8 am)Using a glucose meter to check and monitor blood sugar via finger stick

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Complications related to femoral nerve blockstarted from the puncture of nerve block to the first 72 post-operative hoursNumber of Participants with the complications relaterd to femoral nerve block such as nerve injury, hematoma, local anesthetic systemic toxicity and infection in each group
Costs of hospitalizationthrough study completion, an average of 1 weekCosts will be calculated about total standardized costs before healthcare coverage,such as social medical reimbursement or health insurance.Costs will be evaluated in 2022 renminbi (RMB) yuans.
The changes of swelling ratingat 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after surgeryThe postoperative knee swelling rating on the surgical side is defined as the knee circumference on the surgical side minus the knee circumference on the non-suigical side, both measured in centimeters (cm) at 5.08 cm above the superior border of the patella, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h postoperatively. The larger value means more severe swelling after surgery.
Length of hospital stayThe length of hospital stay was counted in days, about 5 to 7 days usuallyfrom the day when the patients arrived at the ward for reception to the day when the patients discharged, based on the electronic medical record system
The changes of skin temperature ratingat 1, 3, and 5 days after surgerySkin temperature of the knee is measured at the center of the anterior patella on postoperative days 1, 3, and 5. Limbs will be exposed to room temperature for 5 minutes bilaterally and then the skin temperature was measured with a skin temperature gun. The skin temperature on the surgical side was defined as the skin temperature on the surgical side minus the skin temperature on the unsurgical side, both measured in degrees centigrade (°C) .
Post-operative opioid consumptionsfrom arrived at PACU to the first 72 post-operative hourspostoperative opioid consumption including sufentanil consumptions in PACU and the rescue analgesics (morphine 0.05 mg/kg) when NRS \> 3. (sufentanil will be converted into morphine equivalents)
The changes of NRS of postoperative painat 2, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after surgeryPatients evaluate the pain at rest and on knee flexion after surgery. NRS will be used to assess the intensity of pain, ranged from 0-10, 0 means no pain and 10 means severe pain.
Complications related to general anesthesiastarted from the induction of general anesthesia to the first 72 post-operative hoursNumber of Participants with the complications relaterd to general anesthesia such as intraoperative hypoxemia, postoperative nausea and vomiting , postoperative deliriums, postoperative cognitive dysfunction in each group
Complications related to combined spinal-epidural anesthesiastarted from the beginning of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia to the first 72 post-operative hoursNumber of Participants with the complications relaterd to combined spinal-epidural anesthesia such as postdural puncture headache, backache, transient neurological symptoms, epidural hematoma and abscess, meningitis, arachnoiditis, postoperative urinary retention, local anesthetic systemic toxicity and infection in each group

Countries

China

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026