Older age is associated with postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients receiving intravenous patient-controlled analgesia containing droperidol: A retrospective observational analysis

Abstract

BackgroundThis study investigated the associations of age and other factors with postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients receiving fentanyl and droperidol intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IVPCA) after laparoscopic gynecological surgery. A younger age is generally considered a higher risk factor for PONV. However, in our clinical experience, older age represents a higher risk factor for patients receiving IVPCA containing fentanyl and droperidol. Thus, we hypothesized that older age was a higher risk factor, and we explored factors associated with PONV in those patients. MethodsThe incidence of PONV was investigated in 5401 patients who received fentanyl–droperidol IVPCA after laparoscopic gynecological surgery under general anesthesia. Patient characteristics, operative/anesthetic factors, and intraoperative prophylactic antiemetics were investigated by multiple logistic regression analysis to determine the relationships of these factors with PONV. ResultsAmong the 5401 patients, 4929 (91.3 %) received propofol-based anesthesia, and 5187 (96.0 %) received a prophylactic antiemetic. The overall incidences of nausea, vomiting, and postoperative antiemetic use were 36.6 %, 17.6 %, and 17.7 %, respectively. Older age was associated with a significantly higher risk (adjusted odds ratio 1.18 per 10 years, 95 % confidence interval [1.11–1.25], p < 0.001) for PONV. No PONV after previous anesthesia, entry time into the operating room, and maximum duration of IVPCA were factors that influenced the risk of PONV, together with previously identified risk factors. ConclusionsOlder age was a higher risk factor for PONV in patients receiving fentanyl–droperidol IVPCA after laparoscopic gynecological surgery.