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Circulating Brain-Related miRNAs as Predictors of Postoperative Delirium in Cardiac Surgery Patients
Karina Nowakowska, Grzegorz Walkiewicz, Emilia Stec‐Martyna, Dominika Kulczycka-Wojdala, Emilia Frankowska, Piotr Miler, Agnieszka Pawlak, Katarzyna Woźniak et al.. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2025-09-17
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Delirium is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that is pathophysiologically related to both mental (dementia, depression) and physical illness. Its occurrence results in a poor prognosis. This study investigates whether specific miRNAs (miR-9-3p, miR-34c-5p, miR-96-5p, miR-183-5p, and miR-374-3p) related to brain function are associated with an increased risk of postoperative delirium. A total of 224 adult individuals scheduled for elective cardiac surgery were eligible to participate in the study. Delirium diagnosis was established with the use of the Confusion Assessment Method. Following miRNA expression profiling, cDNA synthesis was conducted on the samples obtained one day before and the day after surgery, from 60 delirium patients and 60 randomly selected non-delirium individuals. Univariate comparisons revealed that preoperative miR-96-5p (p = 0.05) and miR-183-5p (p = 0.001), along with postoperative miR-34c-5p (p = 0.009), miR-96-5p (p = 0.07), and miR-183-5p (p = 0.05), were associated with the risk of post-surgery delirium. However, after conducting multivariate logistic regression analysis, only miR-183-5p was found to be independently associated with the risk of delirium development. Other predictors of delirium included an ongoing episode of depression, peripheral vascular disease, female gender, active smoking, and increased postoperative pCO2 concentration. The current study revealed that preoperatively decreased expression of miR-183-5p predicts delirium development after cardiac surgery.
Key findings
- Its occurrence results in a poor prognosis.
- This study investigates whether specific miRNAs (miR-9-3p, miR-34c-5p, miR-96-5p, miR-183-5p, and miR-374-3p) related to brain function are associated with an increased risk of postoperative delirium.
- Univariate comparisons revealed that preoperative miR-96-5p (p = 0.05) and miR-183-5p (p = 0.001), along with postoperative miR-34c-5p (p = 0.009), miR-96-5p (p = 0.07), and miR-183-5p (p = 0.05), were associated with the risk of post-surgery delirium.
- However, after conducting multivariate logistic regression analysis, only miR-183-5p was found to be independently associated with the risk of delirium development.
- The current study revealed that preoperatively decreased expression of miR-183-5p predicts delirium development after cardiac surgery.
Why it matters
This study examined whether certain brain-related miRNAs are linked to postoperative delirium in cardiac surgery patients. After multivariate analysis, only miR-183-5p was independently associated with delirium risk, alongside other predictors such as depression, peripheral vascular disease, female gender, smoking and increased postoperative pCO2.
Study details
- Participants224
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (International Journal of Molecular Sciences) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | International Journal of Molecular Sciences: journal h-index 426 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 224 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 3 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Jakub Kaźmierski: h-index 16 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Stanford University: institution h-index 2,684 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41009624) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3390/ijms26189062
- PubMed: 41009624
- Original source →
- Free full text: International Journal of Molecular Sciences →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Nowakowska, K., Walkiewicz, G., Stec‐Martyna, E., Kulczycka-Wojdala, D., Frankowska, E., Miler, P., et al. (2025). Circulating Brain-Related miRNAs as Predictors of Postoperative Delirium in Cardiac Surgery Patients. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26189062
Vancouver
Nowakowska K, Walkiewicz G, Stec‐Martyna E, Kulczycka-Wojdala D, Frankowska E, Miler P, et al. Circulating Brain-Related miRNAs as Predictors of Postoperative Delirium in Cardiac Surgery Patients. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2025. doi:10.3390/ijms26189062. PMID: 41009624.
BibTeX
@article{nowakowska2025-41009624,
author = {Nowakowska, Karina and Walkiewicz, Grzegorz and Stec‐Martyna, Emilia and Kulczycka-Wojdala, Dominika and Frankowska, Emilia and Miler, Piotr and Pawlak, Agnieszka and Woźniak, Katarzyna and others},
title = {{Circulating Brain-Related miRNAs as Predictors of Postoperative Delirium in Cardiac Surgery Patients}},
journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/ijms26189062},
pmid = {41009624},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26189062}
}
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