Which anesthesia is safer for aging brains? new study investigates
NCT ID NCT06353516
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looked at how two different anesthesia methods—intravenous propofol versus inhaled sevoflurane gas—affect the brain's protective barrier and the risk of confusion after surgery in 154 older adults (age 60+). Researchers measured a protein in the blood that indicates brain barrier leakage and tracked whether patients developed delirium or cognitive problems. The goal is to find out if one type of anesthesia is better at protecting the brain during surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Propofol (intravenous) and sevoflurane (inhaled gas)
- What this could lead to
- If one anesthesia type is found to better protect the brain's barrier, it could help reduce confusion and memory problems after surgery in older adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study measuring blood markers, not a direct test of long-term outcomes. Results may not apply to all surgeries or patients.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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154 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Apr 2024
- Finished
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Dec 2024
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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60 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * age equal to or older than 60 * american Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade I to III * general anesthesia longer than 2 hours Exclusion Criteria: * history of dementia * history of schizophrenia, epilepsy, or Parkinson's disease * history of stroke or craniectomy * patient denial
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital
Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi-do, 14353, South Korea
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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