BACKGROUND: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: 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.

This review comprehensively assesses the epidemiology, interaction, and impact on patient outcomes of perioperative sleep disorders (SD) and perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND) in the elderly. The incidence of SD and PND during the perioperative period in older adults is alarmingly high, with SD significantly contributing to the occurrence of postoperative delirium. However, the clinical evidence linking SD to PND remains insufficient, despite substantial preclinical data. Therefore, this study focuses on the underlying mechanisms between SD and PND, underscoring that potential mechanisms driving SD‐induced PND include uncontrolled central nervous inflammation, blood–brain barrier disruption, circadian rhythm disturbances, glial cell dysfunction, neuronal and synaptic abnormalities, impaired central metabolic waste clearance, gut microbiome dysbiosis, hippocampal oxidative stress, and altered brain network connectivity. Additionally, the review also evaluates the effectiveness of various sleep interventions, both pharmacological and nonpharmacological, in mitigating PND. Strategies such as earplugs, eye masks, restoring circadian rhythms, physical exercise, noninvasive brain stimulation, dexmedetomidine, and melatonin receptor agonists have shown efficacy in reducing PND incidence. The impact of other sleep‐improvement drugs (e.g., orexin receptor antagonists) and methods (e.g., cognitive‐behavioral therapy for insomnia) on PND is still unclear. However, certain drugs used for treating SD (e.g., antidepressants and first‐generation antihistamines) may potentially aggravate PND. By providing valuable insights and references, this review aimed to enhance the understanding and management of PND in older adults based on SD.

Background: The association between intraoperative hyperglycemia (IH) and postoperative infections in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is inadequately studied.Methods: A total of 3,428 patients who underwent cardiac surgery with CPB at our institution between June 1, 2019 and July 30, 2021 were enrolled to evaluate the association of IH (blood glucose ≥ 180 mg/dL) with postoperative infection in patients. The new onset of any type of infection and the optimal cutoff values of intraoperative glucose to predict in-hospital infection were determined.Results: The composite outcome occurred in 497 of 3,428 (14.50%) patients. IH was associated with an increased risk of postoperative composite infection [adjusted odds ratio: 1.39, (95% confidence interval), 1.06–1.82, P = 0.016]. Restricted cubic splines were applied to flexibly model and visualize the association of intraoperative peak glucose with infection, and a J-shaped association was revealed. Besides, it was demonstrated that the possibility of infection was relatively flat till 150 mg/dL glucose levels which started to rapidly increase afterward.Conclusion: We summarize that IH is associated with an elevated risk of postoperative new-onset composite infections and perioperative blood glucose management should be more stringent, i.e., lesser than 150 mg/dL in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Hyperlactatemia and acute kidney injury (AKI) represent significant perioperative complications in cardiac surgery. This study investigated their relationship by analyzing multiple lactate parameters during on-pump cardiac procedures. In this dual-center retrospective analysis of 5255 cardiac surgery patients, we evaluated the relationship between AKI and four distinct lactate parameters: baseline, mean, peak, and time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations. The association between lactate levels and outcomes was evaluated using restricted cubic spline functions with five knots in our retrospective statistical modeling approach. Concurrently, optimal lactate thresholds were determined through the application of a classification and regression tree algorithm. Among the 5255 patients analyzed, 931 (17.72%) developed acute kidney injury. Statistical analysis revealed distinct patterns of association between lactate parameters and AKI risk. We identified an L-shaped relationship for mean, peak, and TWA lactate levels, contrasting with a linear association for baseline values. The study established critical thresholds for AKI risk prediction: mean lactate (2.96 mmol/L), peak lactate (4.50 mmol/L), and TWA lactate (2.33 mmol/L). Risk stratification demonstrated that patients in higher lactate quintiles faced substantially increased AKI risk, with odds ratios ranging from 1.34 to 4.37 across different lactate parameters. These findings established specific lactate thresholds as valuable predictive markers for AKI risk in cardiac surgery, offering clinically applicable parameters for perioperative risk assessment and management. This data supported the implementation of targeted lactate monitoring strategies during cardiac procedures. The study was registered at www.chictr.org.cn (Registration number: ChiCTR2200057320, Data of Registration: 2022-03-08).

Background: Morin can alleviate vincristine-induced neuropathic pain via inhibiting neuroinflammation. Microglial cells play an important role in initiating and maintenance of pain and neuroinflammation. It remains unclear whether morin exerts antinociceptive properties through the regulation of microglial cells. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms of morin against neuropathic pain focusing on microglial cells. Methods: The thermal withdrawal latency and mechanical withdrawal threshold were used as measures of pain behaviours. Histological abnormalities of the sciatic nerve were observed with transmission electron microscopy. The sciatic functional index and the sciatic nerve conduction velocity were used as measures of the functional deficits of the sciatic nerve. Inflammatory factors were detected using ELISA. The expression of M1/M2 polarization markers of microglia and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) p65 were measured by immunofluorescence, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting. Results: Morin alleviated vincristine-induced abnormal pain, sciatic nerve injury, and neuroinflammatory response in rats. Furthermore, morin decreased the expression of NF-κB P65 and M1 activation markers, increased the expression of M2 activation markers. Additionally, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate reversed the effects of morin on microglial polarization, the production of inflammatory factors and neuropathic pain, while ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate showed the opposite effects. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that morin inhibits neuroinflammation to alleviate vincristine-induced neuropathic pain via inhibiting the NF-κB signalling pathway to regulate M1/M2 microglial polarization.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of ciprofol on postoperative cognitive function in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patients and Methods: A total of 138 patients who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were included in this prospective, randomized, controlled study. Patients were randomized into two groups: the Ciprofol group (Group C) and the Propofol group (Group P). During anesthesia induction and maintenance, the patients in Group C received ciprofol, whereas those in Group P received propofol. The primary outcome measure was the incidence of postoperative delirium (POD), which was assessed twice daily for 7 days after surgery via either the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) or the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU). Statistical analyses included chi-square tests for categorical outcomes and relative risk calculations for POD. Additionally, delirium subtypes were recorded. The incidence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) was evaluated at 1 and 3 months after surgery using the Telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment (T-MoCA). Furthermore, the occurrence of postinduction adverse events, including hypotension, bradycardia, and tachycardia, as well as the incidence of postoperative complications, were also documented. Results: POD occurred in 19/64 (29.69%) patients in the Ciprofol group and 34/65 (52.31%) patients in the Propofol group (RR = 0.57; 95% confidence interval = 0.37 to 0.88; p = 0.009). There was no significant difference in the incidence of POCD at 1 month (22.03% vs 26.62%, p = 0.547) or 3 months (16.25% vs 16.00%; p = 0.771) after surgery between the two groups. Conclusion: Ciprofol was found to decrease the incidence of POD in patients who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Nevertheless, no significant effect of this intervention on the incidence of POCD was demonstrated at either 1 or 3 months after surgery. A reduction in the incidence of delirium may be associated with improved postoperative recovery, shortened hospital stays, and a decrease in long-term cognitive impairments. Registration: The study had been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (www.chictr.org.cn; Trial Identifier: ChiCTR2200061712).