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Preoperative Chronotype and Emergence Delirium in the Elderly

An Observational Study on the Influence of Preoperative Sleep Time Types on Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Patients

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07722481
Enrollment
235
Registered
2026-07-23
Start date
2024-10-23
Completion date
2025-03-30
Last updated
2026-08-04

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

Conditions

Emergence Delirium

Keywords

Emergence Delirium, Sleep Chronotype, Elderly

Brief summary

Emergence delirium (ED) is a prevalent and severe postoperative complication in elderly surgical patients. It can occur at any perioperative stage but most frequently develops during or immediately after emergence from general anesthesia. Characterized by acute agitation and confusion, ED manifests as sharp declines in attention and cognitive function, accompanied by impaired consciousness and disorganized thinking. As a common adverse event in the early postoperative period, ED occurs in up to 87% of critically ill patients, 10%-24% of adult general medical patients, 37%-46% of anesthetized general surgical patients, with the highest incidence of 50% observed in elderly surgical patients during early recovery in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). Anesthesiologists have long attached great importance to the harmful effects of ED on clinical outcomes, as ED elevates risks of postoperative hemorrhage and physical trauma, extends PACU monitoring duration and hospital length of stay, and increases postoperative complications, mortality and medical resource consumption. Chronotype describes the behavioral manifestation of the endogenous 24-hour circadian timing system. In mammals, circadian rhythms are maintained and regulated by a complete clock system: the central master clock resides in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, while peripheral clocks exist in organs such as the liver, lungs and skeletal muscle. Patients with delirium commonly suffer severe circadian disturbances, which are embodied in disordered sleep-wake cycles, abnormal secretion rhythms of melatonin and cortisol, and altered expression of clock genes. Chronotypes are conventionally divided into morning, evening and intermediate types. Previous observational studies have proven that chronotype correlates with numerous disorders including metabolic diseases, psychiatric illnesses, brain function, delirium and cognitive performance. Accumulated evidence supports an association between delirium and circadian rhythms, and suggests that circadian dysfunction contributes to the pathological development of delirium. Nevertheless, few studies have investigated how chronotype affects ED in elderly patients. This study intends to explore the correlation between chronotype and postoperative ED in elderly surgical patients and compare ED incidence among patients with distinct chronotypes. The results of this research will offer scientific references for formulating targeted preventive measures against ED in elderly populations, lower postoperative ED rates, alleviate adverse postoperative events, and optimize long-term clinical prognosis.

Interventions

OTHERthe Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU)

Emergence delirium was assessed at 30 minutes after admission to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and at PACU discharge using the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU), a validated tool with high sensitivity and specificity for delirium detection.sment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU)

Sponsors

The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

1. Age of 65 years or older. 2. Scheduled non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia. 3. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III. 4. Signed informed consent for surgical treatment.

Exclusion criteria

1. Auditory or verbal impairment. 2. Long-term use of psychotropic drugs or alcohol abuse. 3. Pre-existing psychiatric disease or cognitive dysfunction. 4. A medical history of cerebral infarction, dementia or hypoalbuminemia. Withdrawal Criteria: 1. Surgery duration less than 60 minutes 2. Intraoperative blood transfusion 3. Intraoperative hypothermia or hypotension 4. Intraoperative administration of dexmedetomidine 5. Postoperative transfer to intensive care unit 6. Requirement for secondary surgical intervention

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Incidence of emergence delirium 1At 30 minutes after post-anesthesia care unit admissionUse CAM-ICU
Incidence of emergence delirium 2Within 5 minutes prior to post-anesthesia care unit discharge.Use CAM-ICU

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Postoperative CAM-ICU scores 1At 30 minutes after post-anesthesia care unit admissionUse CAM-ICU
Postoperative CAM-ICU scores 2Within 5 minutes prior to post-anesthesia care unit discharge.Use CAM-ICU
Postoperative pain scores 1At 30 minutes after post-anesthesia care unit admissionUse the visual analogue scale(VAS)
Postoperative pain scores 2Within 5 minutes prior to post-anesthesia care unit discharge.Use the visual analogue scale(VAS)
Hospital length of stayUp to 12 weeksThe period from when the patients enter the hospital until they leave the hospital

Countries

China

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Aug 5, 2026