Dexamethasone for the treatment of established postoperative nausea and vomiting

作者：Christoph Czarnetzki, Éric Albrecht, Jules Desmeules, Christian Kern, Jean-Baptiste Corpataux, Sylvain Gander, Sander M. J. van Kuijk, Martin R. Tramèr · 发表于：European Journal of Anaesthesiology · 年份：2021 · DOI：10.1097/eja.0000000000001636 · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Nausea and vomiting management、Anesthesia and Pain Management、Sympathectomy and Hyperhidrosis Treatments

BACKGROUND Dexamethasone is widely used for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) but little is known about its efficacy for the treatment of established PONV. OBJECTIVE To test the antiemetic efficacy of intravenous dexamethasone for the treatment of established PONV in adults undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia and to determine whether there is dose-responsiveness. DESIGN The DexPonv trial is a multicentre, placebo-controlled, randomised, double-blind, dose-finding study. Inclusion of patients was between September 2012 and November 2017. Follow-up for PONV symptoms was for 24 h. Thirty days postoperatively, patients were contacted by study nurses for any information on postoperative bleeding and infection. SETTING Four public hospitals in Switzerland. PATIENTS A total of 803 adults scheduled for elective surgery without any antiemetic prophylaxis signed the consent form; 714 were included. Among those, 319 had PONV and 281 patients were eventually randomised (intention to treat population and safety set). The per protocol set consisted of 260 patients. INTERVENTIONS Patients with PONV symptoms (including retching) were randomised to a single intravenous dose of dexamethasone 3, 6 or 12 mg or matching placebo. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary endpoint was the absence of further nausea or vomiting (including retching), within 24 h after administration of the study drug. RESULTS Dexamethasone was ineffective during the first 24 h, whatever the d...