Lee C, et al. - In patients >65 years of age undergoing laparoscopic major non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia, researchers determined the impact of the timing and dose of dexmedetomidine on postoperative delirium. Patients received a dexmedetomidine 1μg/kg bolus followed by 0.2–0.7μg/kg/h infusion from induction of anesthesia to the end of surgery [group D1]); a dexmedetomidine (1μg/kg bolus [group D2]); or saline (group S) 15 min before the end of surgery. In the prevention of delirium, dexmedetomidine dose as well as timing appeared to be important. Dexmedetomidine-induced attenuation in the incidence and duration of delirium was found to be related to reduced levels of IL-6 24 h after surgery.