Brain chemical orexin may hold key to preventing post-surgery confusion in elderly

NCT ID NCT07726875

ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Ruijin Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jul 24, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026

Summary

This study investigates whether levels of orexin, a brain chemical that helps regulate wakefulness, can predict emergence delirium—a state of confusion and agitation—when elderly patients wake up from general anesthesia. Researchers will measure orexin in the blood of 150 patients aged 60 and older during recovery from non-cardiac surgery. The goal is to see if low orexin levels are linked to a higher risk of delirium, which could one day lead to a simple diagnostic test.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to: If orexin levels prove to be a reliable marker, it could lead to a simple blood test to predict and prevent delirium after surgery in older adults.
What could go wrong: This is an early observational study, not a treatment trial. It only looks for a correlation, so it may not find a strong enough link to be useful in practice.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Emergence Delirium

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

EMERGENCE DELIRIUM, ANESTHESIA

Contacts and locations

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Locations

Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, 200025, China

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