title: Ondansetron, droperidol and their combination for the prevention of post-operative vomiting in children.
abstract: In this study the antiemetic effects of droperidol, ondansetron and their combination were evaluated in 160 ASA Grade I and II children undergoing surgery for strabismus, who were randomly assigned to one of four groups: Group D received droperidol 75 micrograms kg-1, group O ondansetron 0.1 mg kg-1, group D+O received both droperidol 75 micrograms kg-1 and ondansetron 0.1 mg kg-1, and group N NaCl as placebo. Emesis within the first 24 h occurred in 95.0% of the children with placebo medication, compared with 32.5% (D), 40.0% (O) and 45.0% (D+O) in the groups with antiemetic prophylaxis. The differences between group N and all other groups were significant (P < 0.001). However, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups D, O and D+O. It is concluded that droperidol (75 micrograms kg-1) and ondansetron (0.1 mg kg-1) both significantly reduce PONV in children undergoing surgery for strabismus. Neither ondansetron, nor the combination D+O were superior to droperidol alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klockgether-Radke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mühlendyck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004329:Droperidol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013285:Strabismus / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000932:Antiemetics; D017294:Ondansetron; D004329:Droperidol