title: The effects of dexmedetomidine on post-operative cognitive dysfunction and inflammatory factors in senile patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on post-operative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) and possible action mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 148 aged surgical patients were divided into two groups, which were treated with dexmedetomidine (Dex group) or normal saline (control group) during general anesthesia. The incidence of POCD one day after surgery was evaluated using Mini-Mental State Examination and serum levels of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were measured using ELISA. The correlation between the two cytokines and POCD was evaluated using quartile division assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of POCD was 9.20% and 21.31% in Dex and control groups, respectively. It is significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.05). The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly increased after surgery, as compared to before surgery (P < 0.05). Compared to control group, Dexmedetomidine significantly inhibited the increase of post-operative IL-6 and TNF-α levels (P < 0.05). The incidence of POCD was significantly different between quartile divisions of IL-6 and TNF-α (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that IL-6 and TNF-α were positively correlated with the POCD (r = 0.689, P = 0.043 and r = 0.711, P = 0.038, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrate that dexmedetomidine reduces the incidence of POCD in aged patients, and inflammation suppression may underlie the action mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University Jinan 250012, Shandong, China ; Department of Anaesthesiology, Linyi People's Hospital Linyi 276000, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Wenjin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Linyi People's Hospital Linyi 276000, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Women And Children's Health Care Hospital of Linyi Linyi 276004, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, First People's Hospital of Qingdao Economic and Technological Development Zone Qingdao 266555, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, People's Hospital of Rizhao Rizhao 276800, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Rongsheng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University Jinan 250012, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Weifu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lei
keywords: Dexmedetomidine; POCD; inflammation; quartile division