Effect of dexmedetomidine on perioperative haemodynamics and early cognitive function in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery has been widely used in the diagnosis and treatment of gynaecological diseases. AIM: To investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine on perioperative haemodynamics and cognitive function in elderly gynaecological patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Clinical baseline characteristics, haemodynamic parameters, renin activity, norepinephrine level, cognitive function, pain level, and sedation were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: At T4 (10 min after extubation) and T5 (1 h after extubation), significant differences were found in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate between the 2 groups (p < 0.05); renin activity and norepinephrine level were much lower in the dexmedetomidine group than in the control group at T3 (10 min before extubation) and T4 (p < 0.05). One day before surgery, there were no significant differences in Mini-mental state examination (MMSE), visual analogue scale (VAS), and Ramsay scores between the 2 groups (p > 0.05), but the MMSE score 1 day after surgery and the Ramsay score at 12 h after surgery in the dexmedetomidine group were much higher than that in the control group (p < 0.05). Notably, at 2, 4, 12, 24, and 48 h after surgery, the VAS score in the dexmedetomidine group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Dexmedetomidine has a better clinical effect in improving perioperative haemodynamics and early cognitive function in elderly gynaecological patients who received laparoscopic surgery.