The effect of intravenous administration of dexamethasone on postoperative pain, nausea, and vomiting after intrathecal injection of meperidine.
BACKGROUND
Different drugs have been used to enhance postoperative neuraxial opioid analgesia and reduce adverse effects.


METHODS
We randomized 60 patients into 2 groups to receive either 2 mL saline or 0.1 mg/kg dexamethasone IV before the administration of intrathecal anesthesia (15 mg and meperidine 15 mg). After surgery, patients were asked to score their pain at 6, 12, 18, and 24 h. The presence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), pruritus and respiratory depression were recorded.


RESULTS
The total dose of diclofenac (P < 0.05), visual analog scale pain score at 6-h intervals (P < 0.001), and the incidence of PONV (P < 0.05) were significantly lower in the dexamethasone group.


CONCLUSIONS
Administration of IV dexamethasone prior to intrathecal meperidine injection enhances analgesia and reduces PONV.
Movafegh
Ali
A
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Dr. Ali Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. movafegh@sina.tums.ac.ir
Soroush
Ahmad Reza
AR
Navi
Ali
A
Sadeghi
Mustafa
M
Esfehani
Fatimah
F
Akbarian-Tefaghi
Niloufar
N
D000328:Adult; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002045:Bupivacaine; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000932:Antiemetics; D004008:Diclofenac; D003907:Dexamethasone; D008614:Meperidine; D002045:Bupivacaine