• Xiuqin Wang, Naifu Liu, Jinlong Chen, Zan Xu, Fumei Wang, and Chuan Ding.
• Departments of Anesthesiology.
• Clin J Pain. 2018 Dec 1; 34 (12): 1180-1191.

BackgroundDexmedetomidine has been shown to have an analgesic effect. However, no consensus was reached in previous studies.MethodsElectronic databases such as PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials. The relative risk and weighted mean difference (WMD) were used to analyze the outcomes. Random-effects model was used for meta-analysis.ResultsCompared with the normal saline group, patients using DEX showed a significantly decreased pain intensity within 6 hours [WMD=-0.93; 95% confidence interval (CI), -1.34 to -0.53) and at 24 hours after surgery (WMD=-0.47; 95% CI, -0.83 to -0.11). DEX usage significantly reduced the cumulative opioids consumption at 24 hours after surgery (WMD=-6.76; 95% CI, -10.16 to -3.35), decreased the rescue opioids consumption in postanesthesia care unit (WMD=-3.11; 95% CI, -5.20 to -1.03), reduced the risk of rescue analgesics (relative risk=0.49; 95% CI, 0.33-0.71), and the interval to first rescue analgesia was prolonged (WMD=34.93; 95% CI, 20.27-49.59).ConclusionsIntravenous DEX effectively relieved the pain intensity, extended the pain-free period, and decreased the consumption of opioids during postoperative recovery of adults in general anesthesia.

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