title: The Addition of Dexmedetomidine to Analgesia for Patients After Abdominal Operations: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial.
abstract: Postoperative pain and anxiety are two common factors influencing patient's recovery. Benefits and safety in the use of sedative agents after abdominal operations to improve recovery are not well known. The present study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of dexmedetomidine use in this population.
  
  
  
  A prospective randomized controlled trial of 145 patients undergoing abdominal operations was conducted in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of Jinling Hospital between October and December 2015. Thirty-two patients were excluded, and 113 were included and divided into the experimental group (59 patients) receiving dexmedetomidine and analgesics for 72 h after abdominal operations, and the control group (54 patients) receiving only analgesics. Postoperative pain, inflammatory response, recovery of gastrointestinal function, adverse events, and sedation level were analyzed.
  
  
  
  Pain scores, assessed by Prince Henry Pain Scale (PHPS), in the experimental group were significantly lower than in the control group on the first (1.53 vs. 2.07, p ≤ 0.01), second (1.07 vs. 1.63, p ≤ 0.01), and third day (1.08 vs. 1.82, p = 0.01). Time to defecation was 0.60 days shorter in the experimental group than the control group (2.51 vs. 3.11, p = 0.01). There was no significant difference between inflammatory responses in the two groups (p > 0.05). Both groups had similar blood pressure, heart rate, prevalence of bradycardia, and hypotension requiring interventions (p > 0.05).
  
  
  
  The addition of dexmedetomidine to analgesia after abdominal operations is safe and could enhance gastrointestinal function recovery and pain control when monitored carefully. The capacity of dexmedetomidine to attenuate inflammatory responses requires further investigation.
authors: Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Minhua
authors: M
authors: Cheng
authors: Institute of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 305 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jialiang
authors: J
authors: Shi
authors: Medical School of Nanjing University, 22 Hankou Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Gao
authors: Institute of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 305 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Juanhong
authors: J
authors: Shen
authors: Institute of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 305 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Chenyan
authors: C
authors: Zhao
authors: Institute of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 305 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Fengchan
authors: F
authors: Xi
authors: Institute of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 305 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Weiqin
authors: W
authors: Li
authors: Institute of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 305 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
authors: Qiurong
authors: Q
authors: Li
authors: Institute of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, 305 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. yudrnj@163.com.
authors: Wenkui
authors: 0000-0002-2636-9207
authors: W
authors: Yu
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D020927:Dexmedetomidine