Intraoperative Administration Of Dexamethasone Research Articles

Intraoperative dexamethasone is associated with a lower risk of respiratory failure in thoracic surgery: Observational cohort study (SURTHODEX)

BackgroundPostoperative complications, particularly respiratory complications, are of significant clinical concern in patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery. Dexamethasone (DXM), commonly administered to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), has potential anti-inflammatory effects that might be beneficial in reducing these complications. We aimed to investigate whether intraoperative DXM administration could mitigate the occurrence of respiratory complications following elective thoracic surgery. MethodsWe conducted a single-center observational study, including patients who underwent elective thoracic surgery from 2012 to 2020. The primary outcome was the onset of acute respiratory failure within 7 days post-surgery. Secondary outcomes encompassed other postoperative complications, duration of hospital stay, and mortality within 30 days post-surgery. An overlap propensity score analysis was employed to estimate the treatment effect. ResultsWe included 1,247 adult patients, 897 who received dexamethasone (DXM) and 350 who served as controls. Intraoperative dexamethasone administration was associated with a significant reduction in respiratory complications with an adjusted relative risk (RR) of 0.65 (95% CI: 0.43−0.97). There was also a significant decline in composite infectious criteria with an adjusted RR of 0.76 (95% CI: 0.63−0.93). Cardiac complications were also assessed as a composite criterion, and a significant reduction was observed (adjusted RR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.51−0.9). However, there were no association with mechanical complications, mortality within 30 days (adjusted RR of 0.43, 95% CI: 0.17–1.09) or in the length of hospital stay (adjusted RR of 0.85, 95% CI: 0.71–1.02). ConclusionsDexamethasone administration was associated with a reduction in postoperative respiratory complications. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Perioperative Dexamethasone and Post-Rhinoplasty Edema: A Prospective Observational Study

Purpose: The timing, schedule, and doses of dexamethasone administration to control edema are a topic of debate. This prospective observational study was performed to evaluate the effects of perioperative and intraoperative administration of dexamethasone on the occurrence of edema in patients who underwent rhinoplasty. Methods: This study was conducted at Najran University Hospital, Najran University, Saudi Arabia, from June 2019 to August 2020. Seventy-five patients who underwent open rhinoplasty were assigned using a consecutive non-random sampling method into three groups, with 25 patients in each group. Group A patients received three doses of intravenous 8 mg dexamethasone perioperatively, and group B patients received a single dose of intravenous 8 mg dexamethasone intraoperatively. Group C patients received intravenous 2 mL of 0.9% normal saline solution intraoperatively and were considered as a control group. Digital photographs of patients were obtained and assessed on the 1st, 7th, and 14th days post-operatively. Results: The mean duration of operation was comparable between the studied groups (p = 0.368). On comparing the studied groups, significant differences in the edema scores were observed on the 1st and 7th day post-operatively (p th day (p = 0.079). When comparing each group against the postoperative day of evaluation, statistically significant differences were detected between the 1st vs. 7th day and 1st vs. 14th day in Group A, whereas, in the other groups, no significant difference was detected (all p > 0.05). No Dexamethasone-related complications were observed. Conclusion: Dexamethasone significantly reduced periorbital swelling and edema after rhinoplasty compared to the control group. A short course of triple dose perioperative administration of dexamethasone is more potent in reducing edema from 1st to 7th day postoperative than a single dose intraoperatively.

Intraoperative Administration of Dexamethasone Reduces Mortality

Intraoperative Administration of Dexamethasone Reduces Mortality

Stress-related psychopathology after cardiac surgery and intensive care treatment

• Cardiac surgery patients are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, which might hamper recovery. • Factors associated with the development of PTSD and depression are variable. • Linear backwards regression identified higher trait anxiety to affect the occurrence of PTSD and depression significantly. • In this setting, female patients potentially benefit from intraoperative dexamethasone administration. Cardiac surgery patients are at risk for psychopathology. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression occur in 10–20% of these patients and affect their quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated with psychopathology after cardiac surgery. We followed participants of the multi-center randomized clinical trial Dexamethasone for Cardiac Surgery (DECS), on a single, intravenous dose of dexamethasone (1 mg/kg) or placebo during cardiac surgery, using validated questionnaires to assess PTSD and depressive symptoms after 1.5 to 4 years, as well as childhood trauma, trait anxiety, pre-existing psychopathology, and substance use. Saliva was used for genotyping of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-axis (HPA axis) glucocorticoid receptor gene. Linear backward regression analysis was performed with these factors, including pre-specified interaction terms of dexamethasone with sex and genotype. Complete data was available for 90% of cases ( n = 1111). The model including trait anxiety and the [dexamethasone x female sex] interaction explained 57% of variance in PTSD symptoms (Model fit F (2;4.817)=643.043, p <.001; R 2 =0 0.57). Similar explained variance was seen for depressive symptoms, where age, trait anxiety and the [dexamethasone x female sex] interaction provided the optimal model (Model fit F (3;4.261)=435,960, p <.001; R 2 =0.58). In this study psychopathology was assessed through validated questionnaires. Variability in data collection detail was present. This study suggests that the occurrence of psychopathology after cardiac surgery is influenced by higher trait anxiety. Female cardiac surgery patients may benefit from intra-operative dexamethasone administration.

The Effects of Dexamethasone in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Dexamethasone reduces postoperative pain and nausea, with no evidence of increased rate of infection in total joint arthroplasty. However, the effects of dexamethasone on diabetic patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty remain relatively unexplored. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of dexamethasone on postoperative blood glucose levels, prosthetic joint infections (PJIs), and 90-day hospital returns in diabetic patients following total joint arthroplasty. Retrospective analysis was performed on 228 adult patients with a diagnosis of diabetes who underwent primary total joint arthroplasty. Patients were stratified by intraoperative dexamethasone administration. In total, 173 (75.9%) patients received intraoperative dexamethasone, with no differences in demographic variables compared with patients who did not receive dexamethasone. There was no significant difference in PJIs or 90-day hospital returns. Patients who received dexamethasone had significantly increased blood glucose concentration on Postoperative Day 1 and were significantly more likely to have blood glucose levels exceeding 180 g/dl. Although postoperative blood glucose levels were significantly increased, it is unclear what effects, if any, transient hyperglycemia may have on outcomes. The outcomes of this study support perioperative administration of dexamethasone in diabetic patients.

Impact of Intraoperative Dexamethasone on Surgical and Oncologic Outcomes for Patients with Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Administration of dexamethasone to mitigate postoperative nausea and vomiting has been suggested to improve short- and long-term outcomes after pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) resection. This study aimed primarily to evaluate these hypotheses in a contemporary patient cohort treated with multimodality therapy. The clinicopathologic and perioperative characteristics of consecutive resected PDAC patients (July 2011 to October 2018) were analyzed from a prospectively maintained database. Intraoperative administration of dexamethasone (4-10mg) was retrospectively abstracted from the electronic medical record. The majority of 373 patients (59.8%) received intraoperative dexamethasone. Most of these patients underwent neoadjuvant therapy (75.3%), were potentially resectable at presentation (69.7%), and underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (79.9%). Women were more likely to receive dexamethasone than men (69.9 vs 30.1%; p < 0.001). The cohorts were otherwise clinically similar. Intraoperative dexamethasone was not associated with differences in postoperative major complications (PMCs) (21.1 vs 19.3%; p = 0.68), postoperative pancreatic fistulas (6.3 vs 6.7%; p = 0.88), or composite infectious complications (28.7 vs 24.7%; p = 0.39). Dexamethasone was not associated with any improvement in median recurrence-free survival (RFS) (17 vs 17months; p = 0.99) or overall survival (OS) (46 vs 43months; p = 0.90). After adjustment for clinical factors including margin status, clinical classification, tumor size, and dexamethasone, the only factors independently associated with OS were pathologic node-positivity (hazard ratio [HR], 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-2.47), perineural invasion (HR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.23-3.31), multimodality therapy (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.13-0.70), and PMCs (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.17-2.29) (all p < 0.006). Dexamethasone failed to demonstrate any protective advantage in terms of mitigating short-term PMCs or infectious complications, or to confer any long-term survival benefit. Tumor biology, multimodality therapy, and PMCs remain the main prognostic factors after PDAC resection.

Effect of Intraoperative Dexamethasone on Major Complications and Mortality Among Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Corticosteroids are widely used in pediatric cardiac surgery to blunt systemic inflammatory response and to reduce complications; nevertheless, their clinical efficacy is uncertain. To determine whether intraoperative administration of dexamethasone is more effective than placebo for reducing major complications and mortality during pediatric cardiac surgery. The Intraoperative Dexamethasone in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery was an investigator-initiated, double-blind, multicenter randomized trial that involved 4 centers in China, Brazil, and Russia. A total of 394 infants younger than 12 months, undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were enrolled from December 2015 to October 2018, with follow-up completed in November 2018. The dexamethasone group (n = 194) received 1 mg/kg of dexamethasone; the control group (n = 200) received an equivolume of 0.9% sodium chloride intravenously after anesthesia induction. The primary end point was a composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, need for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, acute kidney injury, prolonged mechanical ventilation, or neurological complications within 30 days after surgery. There were 17 secondary end points, including the individual components of the primary end point, and duration of mechanical ventilation, inotropic index, intensive care unit stay, readmission to intensive care unit, and length of hospitalization. All of the 394 patients randomized (median age, 6 months; 47.2% boys) completed the trial. The primary end point occurred in 74 patients (38.1%) in the dexamethasone group vs 91 patients (45.5%) in the control group (absolute risk reduction, 7.4%; 95% CI, -0.8% to 15.3%; hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.60 to 1.10; P = .20). Of the 17 prespecified secondary end points, none showed a statistically significant difference between groups. Infections occurred in 4 patients (2.0%) in the dexamethasone group vs 3 patients (1.5%) in the control group. Among infants younger than 12 months undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, intraoperative administration of dexamethasone, compared with placebo, did not significantly reduce major complications and mortality at 30 days. However, the study may have been underpowered to detect a clinically important difference. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02615262.

The perioperative administration of dexamethasone and infection (PADDI) trial protocol: rationale and design of a pragmatic multicentre non-inferiority study

IntroductionThe intraoperative administration of dexamethasone for prophylaxis against postoperative nausea and vomiting is a common and recommended practice. The safety of the administration of this immunosuppressive agent at a time...

Dexamethasone for the Reduction of Postoperative Pain Following Open Carpal Tunnel Release: A Randomized Controlled Trial

INTRODUCTION: Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common neuropathies seen in the upper limb. Once the diagnosis is made, multiple treatment modalities are available for management of this condition. Conservative treatments include wrist splinting and corticosteroid injection. Injections often provide symptomatic relief for patients with mild to moderate disease, especially for pain.1 These injections are usually given either as sole treatment, or as a bridge before surgery can be performed. Definitive carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery is performed either awake with local anesthesia or under procedural anesthesia. Postoperative pain is typically treated with a combination of NSAIDs and narcotics. Nationally, overconsumption of narcotics is a critical issue. The use of steroids in conjunction with local anesthesia has not been studied in the literature. Our objective was to determine whether the addition of dexamethasone to the local anesthesia given during CTR will reduce postoperative pain and the consumption of narcotics postoperatively. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blinded study at a single academic institute. Patients undergoing an elective CTR surgery were included. Exclusion criteria included uncontrolled diabetics, minors, traumatic or emergent case, and patients undergoing a concomitant surgery. Included patients were randomized to either the control or treatment arms. Patients in the treatment arm were given an injection of 10 mg dexamethasone with their local anesthesia at surgery versus local anesthesia alone for the control group. Postoperatively, patients logged their pain scores on a 0–10 scale at set time intervals of 8 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours, and 1 week postoperatively. Patients were also asked to record how many narcotic, acetaminophen, or NSAID pain pills they used. Two-sample Wilcoxon and Matlab-pairs signed-rank tests were then performed to analyze the data. P values were adjusted with Hochberg’s method. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients were enrolled: 40 in the treatment arm and 41 in the control arm. Average pain scores were lower in the steroid group at 8 hours (2.23 SD 3.04 versus 3.45 SD 2.94; P = 0.017), 24 hours (2.61 SD 2.46 versus 3.23 SD 2.88; P = 0.351), and 48 hours (2.00 SD 2.19 versus 2.03 SD 2.51; P = 0.745). Pain scores were higher in the treatment arm at 72 hours (1.74 SD 2.09 versus 1.44 SD 1.87; P = 0.574) and 7 days (1.37 SD 1.76 versus 0.61 SD 1.08; P = 0.031). No P values exceed their Hochberg limits for significance. There was no significant difference in the number of acetaminophen pills (2.93 SD 6.93 versus 1.31 SD 2.96; P = 0.837), NSAID pills (3.56 SD 7.24 versus 2.30 SD 6.51; P = 0.678), and narcotic pills (4.17 SD 5.96 versus 4.36 SD 5.10; P = 0.325) between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative dexamethasone administration during CTR did not reduce pain levels or number of narcotic pain pills taken in the first postoperative week. Further research evaluating non-narcotic pain reducing modalities for CTR is warranted. REFERENCE: 1. Middleton SD. Carpal tunnel syndrome. BMJ. 2014;6:g6437.

Impact of intra-operative dexamethasone after scheduled cesarean delivery: a retrospective study

BackgroundDexamethasone is an effective analgesic and anti-emetic in patients undergoing many surgical procedures but its effects on pain after cesarean delivery are poorly studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate if routine intra-operative administration of dexamethasone improved analgesia and decreased postoperative nausea and vomiting after scheduled cesarean delivery. MethodsElectronic medical record data for scheduled cesarean deliveries performed under neuraxial anesthesia, before and after a practice change that introduced the routine use of intravenous dexamethasone 4 mg, were obtained. Patients were analyzed based on whether they received routine care (n=182) or also received dexamethasone (n=187). The primary outcome was time to first opioid use. Secondary outcomes included postoperative opioid consumption, pain scores, incidence and treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting, satisfaction and length of stay. ResultsThere was no significant difference between groups in median time to first postoperative opioid administration (15.8 [3.4–48.0] h routine care vs 14.7 [3.2–38.8] h routine care plus dexamethasone, P=0.08). There were no significant differences in any secondary outcomes. ConclusionsThis impact study involving more than 360 patients suggests that routine administration of intra-operative intravenous dexamethasone 4 mg does not provide additional analgesic benefit after scheduled cesarean delivery, in the context of a multimodal postoperative analgesic regimen. Studies are required to determine if a larger dose or repeated administration influence postoperative analgesia or side effects, or whether certain subsets of patients may benefit.

Effects of Intraoperative Dexamethasone Administration in Adult Diabetic Burn Patients.

The steroid dexamethasone is used intraoperatively to prevent postoperative nausea. Studies of intraoperative steroid use in diabetic patients have shown conflicting effects on blood glucose and complications, and their use has not yet been studied in the burn population. A review of adult diabetic acute burn patients undergoing surgery at a verified burn center from 2012 to 2017 was conducted. Statistical analysis compared those who did and did not receive an intraoperative steroid. A total of 74 patients who underwent 121 operations were identified; steroid was administered in 14.0% of cases. There were no statistically significant differences in preoperative glucose, insulin requirements, TBSA, or hemoglobin A1C. Postoperatively, the steroid group had a 16.7 mg/dl (SD = 11.1) increase in blood glucose (P = .042) and 53.5 unit/24 hour (SD = 28.4) increase in insulin requirement (P = .019), compared with no change in controls. The complication rate in the steroid group was 52.9% compared with 20.1% in controls (P = .003); partial graft loss was the most common complication. Diabetic burn patients who receive intraoperative steroid have increased postoperative blood glucose levels, insulin requirements, and complication rates compared with patients who do not receive steroids. Discussion is warranted to avoid intraoperative steroid in this population.

Intraoperative Dexamethasone Decreases Infectious Complications After Pancreaticoduodenectomy and is Associated with Long-Term Survival in Pancreatic Cancer

Dexamethasone is administered intraoperatively to prevent anesthesia-related nausea and vomiting and to reduce postoperative opioid administration. However, the adverse effects of corticosteroids on anastomotic healing and wound infection as well as oncologic outcomes remain unclear. We analyzed the effect of intraoperative dexamethasone administration on surgical outcomes after pancreaticoduodenectomy and on long-term survival in pancreatic cancer patients. A total of 679 pancreaticoduodenectomies from a prospectively maintained database were analyzed. Surgical outcomes were compared between patients who received intraoperative dexamethasone and those who did not. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox-regression survival analysis were performed in patients with pancreatic cancer. A propensity analysis was done to reduce the inherent bias of retrospective design. Patients who received dexamethasone (117, 17.2%) were younger and more likely to be female than those who did not (p = 0.001). Overall and 30-day major morbidity were similar among all resected patients, although there were fewer infectious complications in the dexamethasone group (18.8% vs. 28.5%, p = 0.032). In pancreatic cancer patients, dexamethasone was associated with significantly improved median overall survival (46 vs. 22months, p = 0.017). This effect occurred independently of stage, pathologic characteristics, or adjuvant therapy, with adjusted hazard ratios, derived from pre-propensity and post-propensity analysis, of 0.67 (0.47-0.97) and 0.57 (0.37-0.87), respectively. A single intraoperative dose of dexamethasone did not increase morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy and, in fact, was associated with a decrease in infectious complications. The treatment was independently associated with improved overall survival in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, an effect that cannot be explained and needs further validation in a prospective setting.

Lacking Benefit of Intraoperative High-Dose Dexamethasone in Instrumented Surgery for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Our objective was to investigate the effect of intraoperative dexamethasone administration on wound healing, complications, and clinical outcome in patients with posterior surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). We conducted a retrospective study of patients with CSM undergoing dorsal instrumentation and decompression of the cervical spine. The senior surgeon decided if administration of dexamethasone (40 mg intravenously) was indicated. Patients were divided into two groups: dexamethasone group (DG) and non-dexamethasone group (nDG). All patients were monitored for pre- and postoperative neurologic symptoms and complications. Clinical follow-up was evaluated with the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and the modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score. A total of 49 patients were included (DG, 25; nDG, 24). DG and nDG patients showed no significant differences in pre- and postoperative findings. Five patients in the DG had wound healing complications compared with patients in the nDG (p = 0.021), and one died due to infection. Apart from that, we did not observe any significant differences between the two groups regarding complications, neurologic symptoms, and follow-up (NDI and mJOA). Intraoperative dexamethasone administration had no influence on the postoperative outcome and follow-up. A significantly higher rate of wound infections was detected in the DG. These data support the hypothesis that intraoperative dexamethasone bolus application in CSM lacks benefit.

Long‐term outcomes and cost effectiveness of high‐dose dexamethasone for cardiac surgery: a randomised trial

Prophylactic intra-operative administration of dexamethasone may improve short-term clinical outcomes in cardiac surgical patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness of dexamethasone versus placebo. Patients included in the multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled DExamethasone for Cardiac Surgery (DECS) trial were followed up for 12 months after their cardiac surgical procedure. In the DECS trial, patients received a single intra-operative dose of dexamethasone 1 mg.kg-1 (n = 2239) or placebo (n = 2255). The effects on the incidence of major postoperative events were evaluated. Also, overall costs for the 12-month postoperative period, and cost effectiveness, were compared between groups. Of 4494 randomised patients, 4457 patients (99%) were followed up until 12 months after surgery. There was no difference in the incidence of major postoperative events, the relative risk (95%CI) being 0.86 (0.72-1.03); p = 0.1. Treatment with dexamethasone reduced costs per patient by £921 [€1084] (95%CI £-1672 to -137; p = 0.02), mainly through reduction of postoperative respiratory failure and duration of postoperative hospital stay. The probability of dexamethasone being cost effective compared with placebo was 97% at a threshold value of £17,000 [€20,000] per quality-adjusted life year. We conclude that intra-operative high-dose dexamethasone did not have an effect on major adverse events at 12 months after cardiac surgery, but was associated with a reduction in costs. Routine dexamethasone administration is expected to be cost effective at commonly accepted threshold levels for cost effectiveness.

Influence of caudal block on postoperative oliguria in infants undergoing bilateral ureteroneocystostomy: a retrospective analysis.

Caudal block has been widely used in children undergoing genitourinary surgery. However, the influence of caudal block on postoperative oliguria is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of caudal block on urinary flow through the reimplanted ureter after ureteroneocystostomy and the incidence of postoperative oliguria in infants. This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 121 infants aged less than 12 months who underwent bilateral ureteroneocystostomy for vesicoureteral reflux at a tertiary medical center. In all study infants, a ureteral catheter was placed in one of the two ureters in order to relieve the clinical consequences of transient ureteral obstruction and a urethral catheter was placed at the end of the ureteroneocystostomy procedure. Urinary output was assessed separately for each catheter. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors for oliguria from the urethral catheter. Among the 121 patients, 63 (52%) received caudal block (caudal block group) and 58 (48%) did not (no caudal block group). Patient characteristics, preoperative vesicoureteral reflux grade and renal function, and intraoperative profiles were comparable between the groups. The incidence of oliguria from the urethral catheter for 8 h after the surgery was significantly higher in the caudal block group than in the no caudal block group. However, the incidence of oliguria from the ureteral catheter was comparable between the groups. In multivariate analysis, oliguria from the urethral catheter was associated with caudal block, anesthesia duration, and intraoperative dexamethasone administration. The odds for oliguria was 3.069-fold greater in patients who received caudal block than in those who did not (95%CI, 1.303-7.228, P = 0.010). On the other hand, intraoperative dexamethasone reduced the risk of oliguria. Caudal block may be associated with postoperative oliguria in infants undergoing ureteroneocystostomy.

Evaluation of hyperglycaemic response to intra-operative dexamethasone administration in patients undergoing elective intracranial surgery: A randomised, prospective study.

Background and Aim:The glucocorticoid dexamethasone in a bolus dose of 8-10 mg followed by quarterly dose of 4 mg is commonly used during intracranial surgery so as to reduce oedema and vascular permeability. However, the detrimental hyperglycaemic effects of dexamethasone may override its potentially beneficial effects. The present prospective, randomised study aimed at comparing the degree and magnitude of hyperglycaemia induced by prophylactic administration of dexamethasone in patients undergoing elective craniotomy.Materials and Methods:Sixty American Society of Anaesthesiologist (ASA) grade-I and II patients were randomly assigned to three groups of 20 patients each. Group-I received dexamethasone during surgery for the first time. Group-II received dexamethasone in addition to receiving it pre-operatively, whereas Group-III (control group) patients were administered normal saline as placebo. Baseline blood glucose (BG) was measured in all the three groups before induction of anaesthesia and thereafter after every hour for 4 h and then two-hourly. Besides intra- and intergroup comparison of BG, peak BG concentration was also recorded for each patient. Statistical analysis was carried out with analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student's t-test and value of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Baseline BG reading were higher and statistically significant in Group-II as compared with Group-I and Group-III (P < 0.05). However, peak BG levels were significantly higher in Group-I than in Group-II and III (P < 0.05). Similarly, the magnitude of change in peak BG was significantly higher in Group-I as compared to Group-II and III (P < 0.05).Conclusion:Peri-operative administration of dexamethasone during neurosurgical procedures can cause significant increase in BG concentration especially in patients who receive dexamethasone intra-operatively only.

Lack of Association Between Dexamethasone and Long-Term Survival After Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Surgery.

To evaluate the association between the use of intraoperative dexamethasone with an increase in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) after non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) surgery. This was a propensity score-matched (PSM) retrospective study. Single academic center. The study comprised patients with stage I through IIIa NSCLC. Patients were excluded if they were younger than 18 years, had missing data, and died within 30 days after surgery. Primary outcomes of the study were RFS and OS. The data were PSM. RFS and OS were evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models after PSM to assess the association between intraoperative dexamethasone use and the primary outcomes. A p value of<0.05 was considered statistically significant. After PSM, 436 patients were included in each treatment group. Adjusting for significant covariates, the multivariate analysis demonstrated no association between the use of dexamethasone and RFS (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.98 [0.78-1.24]; p = 0.915). The multivariate analysis also demonstrated no association between the administration of dexamethasone and OS (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.08 [0.81-1.44]; p = 0.58). This study demonstrated that intraoperative dexamethasone administration to NSCLC patients was not associated with a significant impact on RFS and OS. The results were similar to a previous study on ovarian cancer patients. A randomized controlled study should be conducted to confirm the results of this study.

Morning Serum Cortisol Level After Transsphenoidal Surgery for Pituitary Adenoma Predicts Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Function Despite Intraoperative Dexamethasone Use

Perioperative glucocorticoid (GC) is rarely needed in patients undergoing transsphenoidal surgery (TSS). We instituted a steroid-sparing protocol in the settings of intraoperative dexamethasone use. We evaluated the safety of using a cut off cortisol level of 14 μg/dL on postoperative day (POD)-1 and -6 after dexamethasone use during the surgery. We also analyzed the efficacy of serial morning cortisol levels for weaning GC replacement. The charts of 48 adult patients who received dexamethasone 4 mg intraoperatively were reviewed. Morning cortisol levels were measured on POD-1. Patients with cortisol ≥14 μg/dL were discharged without CG replacement. Morning cortisol level was checked routinely on POD-6, and GC replacement was initiated when the level was <14 μg/dL. Serial cortisol levels were measured in patients requiring GC after the first postoperative week. Overall, 67% patients had POD-1 cortisol ≥14 μg/dL and did not require GC on discharge. After POD-6, 83% of patients were not on GC replacement. A cosyntropin stimulation testing (CST) was only performed in 3 patients. There were no hospital admissions for adrenal crisis during the postoperative period. A steroid-sparing protocol with POD-1 and -6 morning cortisol levels can be safely and effectively used in the settings of intraoperative dexamethasone administration. It leads to avoidance of GC in more than two-thirds of patients on discharge and more than 80% of patients after the first postoperative week. We found that dynamic adrenal testing could be omitted in the majority of patients by using serial morning cortisol levels to assess the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

The effect of intraoperative administration of dexamethasone for PONV prophylaxis on perioperative blood glucose level in obese and normal weight children.

The incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) can be reduced by dexamethasone. Single-dose administration may cause elevated blood glucose levels in obese adults. No data are available for children. The aim was to evaluate perioperative blood glucose changes related to body weight in children who received dexamethasone. This prospective observational study included 62 children. All patients received total intravenous anesthesia and a single dose of dexamethasone (0.15 mg/kg, maximum 8 mg). Blood glucose levels were measured up to 6 h. Standard deviation scores (SDS) were calculated using age- and gender-specific body mass index (BMI) percentiles, p<0.05. A total of 62 children (11.5±2.9 years, median SDS 0.43, 29% overweight/obese) were included. Blood glucose levels increased from 5.52±0.52 to 6.74±0.84 mmol/L 6 h after dexamethasone without correlation to the BMI-SDS. This study showed an increase of perioperative blood glucose (normoglycemic ranges) after single dose of dexamethasone, but no BMI-dependent effect was observed in children. Therefore, low-dose dexamethasone may be used in obese children for PONV prophylaxis.

Intraoperative dexamethasone and delirium after cardiac surgery: a randomized clinical trial.

Delirium is common after cardiac surgery and may be partly related to the systemic inflammatory response triggered by the surgery and the use of cardiopulmonary bypass. We hypothesized that intraoperative administration of high-dose dexamethasone, a drug with potent anti-inflammatory effects, would reduce the incidence of delirium at any time point during the first 4 postoperative days after cardiac surgery. This was a single-center substudy within a larger, multicenter placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial, the Dexamethasone for Cardiac Surgery (DECS) trial that randomized patients ≥18 years, undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, to receive, in a double-blind fashion, either dexamethasone 1 mg/kg or placebo at the induction of anesthesia. Over the first 4 postoperative days, we compared between groups the incidence of delirium (based on the Confusion Assessment Method adapted for the intensive care unit, or after intensive care unit discharge, by the Confusion Assessment Method, accompanied by chart review), restraint use, and administered haloperidol, benzodiazepines, and opioids. Data were analyzed according to the intention-to-treat principle. The proportion of patients with delirium in the dexamethasone versus the placebo group was compared using the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The proportion also was compared using logistic regression to adjust for common baseline variables that might confound the presence of delirium between the 2 groups. Of 768 eligible patients, 737 subjects (96.0%) had complete data. The incidence of delirium was similar between the dexamethasone (14.2%) and placebo (14.9%) groups (crude OR = 0.95, 95% CI, 0.63-1.43; adjusted OR = 0.85, 95% CI, 0.55-1.31). Among patients who developed delirium, the median (interquartile range) duration of delirium was similar between the dexamethasone and placebo groups (2 [1-3] vs 2 [1-2] days, respectively, P = 0.45; WMWodds 0.98, 95% CI, 0.83-1.17). Restraint use and the administration of haloperidol, benzodiazepines, and opioids were also similar between the 2 groups. The intraoperative administration of dexamethasone did not reduce the incidence or duration of delirium in the first 4 days after cardiac surgery.