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. 2022 May 19;11(1):18.
doi: 10.1186/s13741-022-00253-4.

Effect of sedative premedication with oral midazolam on postanesthesia care unit delirium in older adults: a secondary analysis following an uncontrolled before-after design

Karin Stuff  1 , Elena Kainz  1 , Ursula Kahl  1 , Hans Pinnschmidt  2 , Stefanie Beck  1 , Franziska von Breunig  1 , Rainer Nitzschke  1 , Sandra Funcke  1 , Christian Zöllner  1 , Marlene Fischer  3   4
Affiliations

Effect of sedative premedication with oral midazolam on postanesthesia care unit delirium in older adults: a secondary analysis following an uncontrolled before-after design

Karin Stuff et al. Perioper Med (Lond). .

Abstract

Background: Sedative premedication with benzodiazepines has been linked with prolonged recovery and inadequate emergence during the immediate postoperative period. We aimed to analyze the association between postanesthesia care unit (PACU) delirium and sedative premedication with oral midazolam.

Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of prospectively collected data before (midazolam cohort) and after (non-midazolam cohort) implementation of a restrictive strategy for oral premedication with midazolam. From March 2015 until July 2018, we included patients 60 years and older, who underwent elective radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Exclusion criteria were contraindications to premedication with midazolam, preoperative anxiety, and a history of neurological disorders. Patients, who were scheduled for postoperative admission to the intensive care unit, were excluded. Between 2015 and 2016, patients received 7.5 mg oral midazolam preoperatively (midazolam cohort). Patients included between 2017 and 2018 did not receive any sedative medication preoperatively (non-midazolam cohort). The primary endpoint was the incidence of PACU delirium.

Results: PACU delirium rates were 49% in the midazolam cohort (n = 214) and 33% in the non-midazolam cohort (n = 218). This difference was not statistically significant on multivariable logistic regression analysis (OR 0.847 [95% CI 0.164; 4.367]; P = 0.842). Age (OR 1.102 [95% CI 1.050; 1.156]; P < 0.001), the cumulative dose of sufentanil (OR 1.014 [95% CI 1.005; 1.024]; P = 0.005), and propofol-sufentanil for anesthesia maintenance (OR 2.805 [95% CI 1.497; 5.256]; P = 0.001) were significantly associated with PACU delirium.

Conclusion: Midazolam for sedative premedication was not significantly associated with PACU delirium. The reduction in the incidence of PACU delirium throughout the study period may be attributable to improvements in perioperative management other than a more restrictive preoperative benzodiazepine administration.

Keywords: Anesthesia; Benzodiazepines; Delirium; Perioperative care; Premedication.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow of participants throughout the study. MMSE: mini-mental status examination. PACU: postanesthesia care unit
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Positive screening for postanesthesia care unit (PACU) delirium 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after extubation, stratified for premedication with and without midazolam
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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