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The effect of dexamethasone upon patient‐controlled analgesia‐related nausea and vomiting
Author(s) -
Lee Y.,
Lin Y. S.,
Chen Y. H.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2044.2002.02572_5.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dexamethasone , vomiting , nausea , anesthesia , saline , postoperative nausea and vomiting , placebo , incidence (geometry) , surgery , alternative medicine , physics , pathology , optics
Summary Ninety female patients were enrolled in this randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study to compare the anti‐emetic effect of intravenous dexamethasone 8 mg with saline control in preventing patient‐controlled analgesia‐related nausea and vomiting following major orthopaedic surgery. The prophylactic administration of dexamethasone 8 mg significantly reduced the overall incidence of patient‐controlled analgesia‐related nausea and vomiting (p < 0.001) and the need for rescue anti‐emetics (p < 0.01). Furthermore, patients who received dexamethasone showed a higher incidence of complete responses (no vomiting or need for rescue anti‐emetic for a 24‐h postoperative period) than those who received saline (p < 0.05). We conclude that dexamethasone 8 mg may be valuable for preventing patient‐controlled analgesia‐related nausea and vomiting in women undergoing major orthopaedic surgery.