[Dexamethasone enhances the effect of tropisetron and ondansetron against nausea and vomiting against nausea and vomiting after patient-controlled analgesia].
OBJECTIVE
To study the enhancement by dexamethasone of the effect of ondansetron and tropiesetron against postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients receiving patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and observe the effect of dexamethasone on wound healing.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty elective surgical patients receiving PCA were divided into 4 groups, including 2 control groups with the prescription of ondansetron (8 mg) and tropiesetron (3 mg) respectively (control A and B) and 2 observation groups in which the patients were given ondansetron (8 mg) plus dexamethasone (10 mg) and tropiesetron (3 mg) plus dexamethasone (10 mg) respectively (observation groups C and D). The incidence and severity of PONV was observed at 4, 8, 2, 24 h and 2, 3 d postoperatively, and the time and grade of healing of the wound evaluated.


RESULTS
Significant difference in PONV between group A and group B was observed (P<0.01), and in the observation groups, PONV was markedly reduced compared with the control groups (C vs A, P<0.01; D vs B, P<0.05). In light of the time and grade of wound healing, the observation groups differed little from the control groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Dexamethasone (10 mg) can greatly enhance the effect of ondansetron and tropiesetron against PONV in patients receiving PCA without interfering the healing of the wound.
Wang
Chen
C
Departments of, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710033, China. wangchen@fmmu.edu.cn
Xu
Ning
N
Xiong
Li-Ze
LZ
Liu
Hui-Fen
HF
Yang
Xiao-Yan
XY
Lu
Zhi-Hong
ZH
Sheng
Peng-Tu
PT
Wang
Li-Yun
LY
D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009325:Nausea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077526:Tropisetron; D014839:Vomiting / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000932:Antiemetics; D007211:Indoles; D017294:Ondansetron; D000077526:Tropisetron; D003907:Dexamethasone