Preemptive antiemesis in patients undergoing modified radical mastectomy: oral granisetron versus oral ondansetron in a double-blind, randomized, controlled study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of oral granisetron versus oral ondansetron for preemptive antiemesis in women undergoing modified radical mastectomy.


METHODS
Randomized, double-blind, controlled study.


METHODS
Metropolitan hospital.


METHODS
Ninety ASA physical status I and II hospitalized female patients, aged 18 to 65 y, scheduled for modified radical mastectomies.


METHODS
Patients were assigned to receive orally placebo, granisetron 2 mg, or ondansetron 4 mg (n = 30 in each group) 1 h before induction of anesthesia. A standard general anesthetic technique and postoperative analgesia were used.


METHODS
Postoperative nausea and vomiting and safety assessments were performed continuously 0 to 2, 2 to 6, 6 to 12, and 12 to 24 h after anesthesia.


RESULTS
A complete response during 0 to 2 h after anesthesia was found in 43%, 63%, and 90% of patients who had received placebo, granisetron, or ondansetron, respectively; corresponding percentages of patients requiring rescue antiemetics were 40%, 17%, and 7%. Frequency of nausea and vomiting was low (less than 23%) after 2 h in the three groups. Observations of postoperative nausea and vomiting score and need for antiemetics at other time intervals (2 to 6, 6 to 12, and 12 to 24 h) were not significantly different among the three groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral ondansetron 4 mg provided better preemptive antiemesis than oral granisetron 2 mg in the 2 h after modified radical mastectomy during general anesthesia.
Department of Anesthesiology, Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital (IRCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India. shumob@yahoo.com
Sushma
S
Bhatnagar
Deepak
D
Gupta
Seema
S
Mishra
Madhurima
M
Srikanti
Manisha
M
Singh
Rajni
R
Arora
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D017829:Granisetron / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical; D008875:Middle Aged; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication
D000932:Antiemetics; D017829:Granisetron; D017294:Ondansetron