NCT07536568

Sublingual Caffeine on Reducing Recovery Time and Postoperative Agitation in Elderly Patients Undergoing General Anesthesia

Efficacy of Sublingual Caffeine on Reducing Recovery Time and Postoperative Agitation in Elderly Patients Undergoing General Anesthesia: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 50 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Cairo University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of sublingual caffeine in reducing recovery time and incidence of postoperative agitation in elderly patients undergoing general anesthesia.

Detailed description

With increasing life expectancy, the proportion of elderly patients undergoing surgical procedures under general anesthesia continues to rise. However, aging is associated with reduced physiological reserve and altered pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anesthetic agents, making elderly individuals particularly susceptible to delayed emergence from anesthesia. Caffeine, a methyl xanthine compound widely known for its central nervous system (CNS) stimulant properties, has shown potential to accelerate emergence from general anesthesia. It acts as a non-selective antagonist of adenosine A1 and A2A receptors, which play a role in promoting sleep and suppressing arousal. Postoperative agitation and delirium are particularly concerning in older adults due to their association with increased morbidity, functional decline, prolonged hospitalization, and even long-term cognitive impairment.

Conditions

• Sublingual
• Caffeine
• Recovery Time
• Postoperative Agitation
• Elderly Patients
• General Anesthesia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	Caffine citrate	Patients will receive sublingual caffeine at the end of surgery.
OTHER	Placebo	Patients will receive sublingual placebo at the end of surgery.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-04-15
• Primary completion: 2026-07-15
• Completion: 2026-08-30
• First posted: 2026-04-17
• Last updated: 2026-04-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Egypt