Fig 1.
Studies eligible for inclusion in meta-analysis.
Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies.
Table 2.
The modified Jadad scores.
Table 3.
Statistics information of each analysis.
Fig 2.
Funnel plot of the studies included in the meta-analysis.
The vertical line represents the meta-analysis summary estimate, and the scatter represents single studies. In the absence of publication bias, studies will be distributed symmetrically right and left of vertical line. Log risk ratio (RR), natural logarithm of the RR; SE (log RR), standard error of the log RR.
Fig 3.
Forest plot for the incidence of EA.
The plot displays the study, sample size, weighted risk ratio (RR), confidence interval (CI), and P value. Meta-analysis indicates dexmedetomidine significantly decreased the incidence of EA compared with placebo. The square shown for each study (first author and year of publication) is the RR for individual trials, and the corresponding horizontal line is the 95% CI. The diamond is the pooled RR with the CI. The different sizes of squares indicate the weight the individual trials had in the analysis, taking into account sample size.
Fig 4.
Forest plot for the effect of different administration ways of dexmedetomidine on the incidence of EA.
Fig 5.
Forest plot for the effect of different surgery procedures on the incidence of EA.
Fig 6.
Forest plot for the effects of bolus or continuous-dosage administration of dexmedetomidine on the incidence of EA.
Fig 7.
Forest plot for the incidence of EA.
The plot displays the study, sample size, weighted risk ratio (RR), confidence interval (CI), and P value. Meta-analysis indicates dexmedetomidine had no difference on the incidence of EA compared with fentanyl. The square shown for each study (first author and year of publication) is the RR for individual trials, and the corresponding horizontal line is the 95% CI. The diamond is the pooled RR with the CI. The different sizes of squares indicate the weight the individual trials had in the analysis, taking into account sample size.
Fig 8.
Forest plot for the incidence of EA.
The plot displays the study, sample size, weighted risk ratio (RR), confidence interval (CI), and P value. Meta-analysis indicates dexmedetomidine had no difference on the incidence of EA compared with medizolam. The square shown for each study (first author and year of publication) is the RR for individual trials, and the corresponding horizontal line is the 95% CI. The diamond is the pooled RR with the CI. The different sizes of squares indicate the weight the individual trials had in the analysis, taking into account sample size.
Fig 9.
Forest plot for emergence time.
The plot displays the study, sample size, weighted mean differences (WMD), confidence interval (CI), and P value. Meta-analysis indicates dexmedetomidine significantly increased emergence time compared with the placebo group. The square shown for each study (first author and year of publication) is the mean difference for individual trials, and the corresponding horizontal line is the 95% CI. The diamond is the pooled WMD with the CI. The different sizes of squares indicate the weight the individual trials had in the analysis, talking into account sample size and standard deviations.
Fig 10.
Forest plot for time to extubation.
The plot displays the study, sample size, weighted mean differences (WMD), confidence interval, and P value. Meta-analysis indicates dexmedetomidine significant increased the time to extubation compared with the placebo group. The square shown for each study (first author and year of publication) is the mean difference for individual trials, and the corresponding horizontal line is the 95% CI. The diamond is the pooled WMD with the CI. The different sizes of squares indicate the weight the individual trials had in the analysis, talking into account sample size and standard deviations.
Fig 11.
Forest plot for the number of patients with post-operative nausea and vomiting.
The plot displays the study, sample size, weighted risk ratio (RR), confidence interval (CI), and P value. Meta-analysis indicates dexmedetomidine significantly decrease the number of patients with post-operation nausea and vomiting compared with the placebo group. The square shown for each study (first author and year of publication) is the RR for individual trials, and the corresponding horizontal line is the 95% CI. The diamond is the pooled RR with the CI. The different sizes of squares indicate the weight the individual trials had in the analysis, taking into account sample size.
Fig 12.
Forest plot for number of patients requiring analgesic.
The plot displays the study, sample size, weighted risk ratio (RR), confidence interval (CI), and P value. Meta-analysis indicates dexmedetomidine significantly decreased the number of patients requiring analgesa compared with the placebo group. The square shown for each study (first author and year of publication) is the RR for individual trials, and the corresponding horizontal line is the 95% CI. The diamond is the pooled RR with the CI. The different sizes of squares indicate the weight the individual trials had in the analysis, taking into account sample size.
Fig 13.
Forest plot for number of patients requiring analgesic dexmedetomidine vs Fentanyl and Bupivacaine.
The plot displays the study, sample size, weighted risk ratio (RR), confidence interval (CI), and P value. Meta-analysis indicates the analgesia effect of dexmedetomidine on postoperation pain has no significantly statistical differences compared with fentanyl. The square shown for each study (first author and year of publication) is the RR for individual trials, and the corresponding horizontal line is the 95% CI. The diamond is the pooled RR with the CI. The different sizes of squares indicate the weight the individual trials had in the analysis, taking into account sample size.
Fig 14.
Forest plot for time to discharge from recovery room.
The plot displays the study, sample size, weighted mean differences (WMD), confidence interval (CI), and P value. Meta-analysis indicates dexmedetomidine significant increase time to discharge from PACU compared with the placebo group. The square shown for each study (first author and year of publication) is the mean difference for individual trials, and the corresponding horizontal line is the 95% CI. The diamond is the pooled WMD with the CI. The different sizes of squares indicate the weight the individual trials had in the analysis, taking into account sample size and standard deviations