Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40312167›Full record

SynthesisBritish journal of anaesthesia2025

Effect of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on prognosis in patients with cancer undergoing surgical procedures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Chaojin Zhang, Yifeng Qu, Qiang Cao, Yiyin Tao, Xiaorong Huai, Wei Xuan, Zhiying Pan, Xiaoqiang Wang, Jie Tian

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in British journal of anaesthesia, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Mechanism, Dose, and Administration of Dexmedetomidine in Managing Visceral Pain Associated With Surgery: A Narrative Review.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Chaojin ZhangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology (Shanghai Jiao Tong University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.
Yifeng QuDepartment of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Qiang CaoDepartment of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Yiyin TaoDepartment of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology (Shanghai Jiao Tong University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China.
Xiaorong HuaiDepartment of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Wei XuanDepartment of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Zhiying PanDepartment of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Xiaoqiang WangDepartment of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology (Shanghai Jiao Tong University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: doctor.wxq@outlook.com.
Jie TianDepartment of Anesthesiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology (Shanghai Jiao Tong University), Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China. Electronic address: vaseline2001@hotmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer places a significant burden on patients and healthcare systems. Dexmedetomidine, an α

methodsWe conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure up to April 2024. Two researchers extracted data including authors, year, country, study design, follow-up, patient characteristics, and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall survival and recurrence-free survival. Quality assessment was conducted using the Cochrane tool for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for retrospective studies.

resultsThe review identified 12 studies: six RCTs and six retrospective studies. In the RCTs, intraoperative dexmedetomidine showed no significant effect on overall survival (odds ratio [OR] 0.87, 95% CI 0.67-1.13, P=0.29) but improved recurrence-free survival (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.47-0.91, P=0.01). Retrospective studies indicated that dexmedetomidine was associated with decreased overall survival (post-matching HR 1.52, 95% CI 1.15-2.00, P=0.003), and had no significant effect on recurrence-free survival (post-matching HR 1.29, 95% CI 0.96-1.72, P=0.09).

conclusionsMeta-analysis reveals inconsistent evidence regarding impact of intraoperative dexmedetomidine on cancer outcomes after surgery. RCTs suggest improved recurrence-free survival, whereas retrospective studies suggest potential reductions in overall survival. The limited and contradictory data highlight the necessity for more high-quality RCTs to clarify the effects of dexmedetomidine on survival and prognosis in this population.

Indexed as

Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor AgonistsDexmedetomidineIntraoperative CareNeoplasmsHumansNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalPrognosisRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAdrenergic alpha-2 Receptor AgonistsDexmedetomidinecancerdexmedetomidinemeta-analysisoverall survivalrecurrence-free survivalsystemic review

Identifiers

PMID40312167
PMCPMC12597423

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.