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Dexamethasone on postoperative gastrointestinal motility: A placebo‐controlled, double‐blinded, randomized controlled trial
Author(s) -
Chen Yuezhi,
Dong Chenyang,
Lian Guodong,
Li Dongsheng,
Yin Yuehan,
Yu Wenhai,
Du Changkun,
Liu Chen,
Li Leping,
Tian Feng,
Jing Changqing
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/jgh.15020
Subject(s) - medicine , dexamethasone , placebo , randomized controlled trial , motility , anesthesia , alternative medicine , pathology , biology , genetics
Background and Aim Following abdominal surgery, patients usually experience a transient episode of impaired gastrointestinal motility. This study aimed to determine whether a single preoperative dose of dexamethasone can promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function in patients following elective gastrointestinal surgery. Methods In this single‐center, two‐arm, parallel, randomized controlled trial, we studied 126 patients (aged 18–80 years) who underwent elective open or laparoscopic bowel surgery for malignant or benign pathology. At the induction of anesthesia, a treatment group ( n = 64) received a single dose of 8‐mg intravenous dexamethasone, and a control group ( n = 62) received normal saline. Results Intravenous administration of 8‐mg dexamethasone significantly decreased the time to return of flatus by an average of approximately 8 h ( P < 0.05). Abdominal distension was significantly reduced on the third day after surgery in the dexamethasone group ( P < 0.05), and the time to tolerance of a liquid diet was shorter in the dexamethasone group ( P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in other secondary outcomes, including postoperative pain, complication rates, length of hospital stay, or time to first defecation, between the two groups. Conclusions A single intravenous dose of 8‐mg dexamethasone at induction of anesthesia significantly decreases the time to return of flatus, improves abdominal distension at 72 h, and promotes tolerance of a liquid diet. Although further studies are required to confirm our results, we recommend that dexamethasone should be used more widely in gastrointestinal surgery.