Authors: Albadi N et al.
Cureus 17(11): e96219, November 2025. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.96219
This bibliometric analysis mapped a decade (2015–2025) of research on dexmedetomidine for ICU delirium and agitation. Using Scopus (638 initial records; 120 included) and two visualization tools (VOSviewer, CiteSpace), the authors examined co-authorship, co-occurrence of keywords, citations, bibliographic coupling, and co-citation to characterize the field’s structure and influence. The United States led in output and citations; prominent contributors included Michael C. Reade and institutions such as Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Keyword networks centered on dexmedetomidine, delirium, sedation, and ICU, reflecting a focused domain. Source and co-citation analyses highlighted Critical Care Medicine, JAMA, and Intensive Care Medicine as influential journals.
Findings suggest dexmedetomidine has become increasingly prominent in ICU delirium/agitation literature, aligned with a broader shift toward humane, physiologic sedation and multimodal, opioid-sparing strategies. The authors note heterogeneity and limitations across the clinical evidence base (e.g., variable effects on delirium incidence, ventilation duration, and mortality), and emphasize cardiovascular adverse effects (bradycardia, hypotension) and cost as practical constraints. Methodologic limitations of this bibliometric review include reliance on a single database (Scopus), adult-only focus, and a 10-year window. The paper calls for collaborative, well-designed trials to refine dosing, sedation targets, duration, and long-term cognitive outcomes, and to standardize delirium measurement.
What You Should Know:
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Research on dexmedetomidine for ICU delirium/agitation has expanded steadily since 2015, with concentrated themes around sedation quality, delirium prevention, and ventilation outcomes.
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The United States, Europe, and parts of Asia anchor the most influential authors and institutions; network maps show relatively tight, mature clusters.
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Clinical evidence trends favor dexmedetomidine as part of multimodal, opioid-sparing ICU care, but benefits on hard outcomes are mixed and adverse hemodynamics remain a concern.
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Future work should prioritize multicenter RCTs with standardized delirium assessments, dose/target optimization, and evaluation of long-term cognition and cost-effectiveness.
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