Remimazolam besylate for sedation of postoperative patients in intensive care units: a phase I, open label, dose-finding study

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (2020-0384-01), and written informed consent was obtained from all patients or their representatives according to the Declaration of Helsinki. The inclusion criteria were patients aged between 18 and 75 years old, admitted to the ICU after non-cardiac surgeries, expected to receive a postoperative sedation and mechanical ventilation for 8 to 24 h. The exclusion criteria included previous inclusion into this study or another interventional study in 3 months; a history of psychiatric disorders, acute glaucoma or myasthenia gravis; serious central nervous system disorders (acute stroke, uncontrolled seizure, or severe dementia); inability to communicate because of brain injury; liver or kidney transplant; a body mass index 30 kg/m2; unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction; left ventricular ejection fraction less than 30%; severe sinus bradycardia (