title: Dexmedetomidine improves gastrointestinal motility after laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer: A randomized clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the effects of intraoperative application of dexmedetomidine (Dex) on early gastrointestinal motility after laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective, randomized double-blind investigation, 60 patients who underwent laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer were randomly allocated to receive Dex (DEX group, n = 30) or saline (CON group, n = 30). In the DEX group, Dex was loaded (1 μg/kg) before anesthesia induction and was infused (0.3 μg/kg/h) during surgery. Time to postoperative first flatus (FFL) and first feces (FFE), and time to regular diet were recorded. Serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) were detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the time to the FFL (44.41 ± 4.51 hours vs 61.03 ± 5.16 hours, P = 0.02) and the time to the FFE (60.67 ± 4.94 hours vs 82.50 ± 6.88 hours, P = 0.014) were significantly shorter in the DEX group than the CON group. Furthermore, the time to regular diet of the DEX group was shorter than that of the CON group (76.15 ± 4.11 hours vs 91.50 ± 5.70 hours, P = 0.037). Both DAO and I-FABP increased significantly from beginning of surgery to postoperative day 1 in the CON group (2.49 ± 0.41 ng/mL vs 4.48 ± 0.94 ng/mL for DAO, P = 0.028, 1.32 ± 0.09 ng/mL vs 2.17 ± 0.12 ng/mL for I-FABP, P = 0.045, respectively), whereas no significant change was observed in the DEX group. Furthermore, patients in the DEX group had stable hemodynamics and shorter hospital stay than those in the CON group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dex administration intraoperatively benefits recovery of gastrointestinal motility function after laparoscopic resection of colorectal cancer with stable hemodynamics during surgery though further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms of Dex on gastrointestinal motility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chaojin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Pinjie
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Lifei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Chenfang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Mian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ge
authors.forename: Ziqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hei
authors.forename: Qianqian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Shaoli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D020927:Dexmedetomidine