Skip to content

Intranasal Insulin for Postoperative Delirium in Older Patients With T2DM

Intranasal Insulin for Prevention of Postoperative Delirium in Older Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Trial

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07720479
Enrollment
210
Registered
2026-07-22
Start date
2026-07-01
Completion date
2028-02-01
Last updated
2026-07-22

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

Conditions

Postoperative Delirium (POD)

Brief summary

Postoperative delirium (POD) is highly prevalent in older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Cerebral insulin resistance is considered a key pathophysiological mechanism underlying this association. This study aims to investigate whether intranasal insulin (INI) can prevent POD and early postoperative cognitive decline by improving cerebral insulin resistance. We will conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial. Older T2DM patients will be randomly assigned to receive intranasal insulin at doses of 40 IU or 80 IU, or placebo. The primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of INI in preventing POD and to determine the dose-response relationship.

Interventions

DRUGInsulin, human

Subjects will receive intranasal insulin treatment. The specific dosage will vary by study arm: Group 1 receives 40 IU daily (20 IU twice daily), Group 2 receives 80 IU daily (40 IU twice daily), and the control group receives intranasal placebo. Administration occurs 15 minutes prior to anesthesia induction and continues daily from postoperative day 1 through postoperative day 7.Intranasal insulin

DRUGIntranasal Normal Saline (Placebo)

0.9% sodium chloride solution for intranasal administration, matched in volume and appearance to the insulin preparation. Administered via the same nasal spray device twice daily (equivalent volume to the 80 IU insulin arm) beginning 15 min before anesthesia induction and continuing postoperatively until POD 7.

Sponsors

Weidong Mi
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. 2. Age ≥ 65 years. 3. Scheduled for elective hepatobiliary tumor resection with an anticipated surgical duration of ≥ 2 hours. 4. Voluntary provision of written informed consent by the patient or their legally authorized representative.

Exclusion criteria

1. Preoperative diagnosis of dementia, or an education-adjusted Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score indicating cognitive impairment (illiteracy \< 17, primary education \< 20, secondary education or above \< 24). 2. Severe visual, auditory, or language impairments precluding the completion of neurocognitive assessments. 3. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification ≥ IV. 4. History of severe central nervous system disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease, stroke within the past 6 months, severe traumatic brain injury) or schizophrenia; or chronic use of antipsychotic or antidepressant medications. 5. Nasal anatomical abnormalities or pathologies that may compromise intranasal drug absorption (e.g., severe allergic rhinitis, severe deviated septum, recent nasal trauma or surgery, nasal polyps). 6. Known hypersensitivity to insulin or any of its excipients. 7. Extremely poor glycemic control (e.g., HbA1c \> 10%), or an episode of severe hypoglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis within the 3 months prior to enrollment.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Postoperative DeliriumPostoperative Day 1 to Postoperative Day 7The occurrence of postoperative delirium will be assessed using the 3D-CAM (3-Minute Diagnostic Interview for CAM). Assessments will be conducted twice daily (at 09:00-10:00 and 16:00-17:00) from postoperative day 1 through postoperative day 7.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Postoperative Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)Postoperative Day 7, 1 Month, and 6 MonthsAssessment of postoperative mild cognitive impairment (MCI) will be conducted using the Ascertain Dementia 8-item Informant Questionnaire (AD8). The AD8 is a brief screening tool rated by informants (caregivers or family members). A total score of ≥ 2 on the AD8 will indicate the presence of cognitive impairment.
Postoperative Short-term Memory ImpairmentPostoperative Day 7, 1 Month, and 6 MonthsShort-term memory will be assessed using the Three Words Delayed Recall Test (often referred to as TRT in this study). Patients are asked to recall three unrelated words previously presented. Failure to correctly recall all three words will be considered indicative of short-term memory impairment.

Contacts

CONTACTDanyang Geng
1354550512@qq.com17367522284

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jul 23, 2026