Dexmedetomidine Nasal Spray and Postoperative Sore Throat After Bronchoscopy

The goal of this observational study is to learn whether dexmedetomidine nasal spray is associated with a lower risk of postoperative sore throat in adult patients who underwent bronchoscopy under general anesthesia. The main questions it aims to answer are: Is dexmedetomidine nasal spray associated with a lower incidence of sore throat after bronchoscopy? What is the average treatment effect of dexmedetomidine nasal spray on postoperative sore throat? Does the treatment effect differ across patient subgroups (treatment effect heterogeneity)? Researchers will compare patients who received dexmedetomidine nasal spray with patients who did not receive it to see if the nasal spray is associated with less postoperative sore throat, and whether some patients benefit more than others. This is a two-center retrospective cohort study. No participants will be asked to do anything, and no interventions will be given. Existing medical records of patients who underwent bronchoscopy will be analyzed. The analysis follows a target trial emulation framework, which mimics a randomized trial using existing data, and uses statistical and machine learning methods to account for differences between patient groups.