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Preoperative high dose methylprednisolone improves patients outcome after abdominal surgery
M Nagelschmidt1, Z X Fu, S Saad
1Biochemical and Experimental Division, University of Cologne, Germany.
Objective:
To assess the effect of preoperative high dose methylprednisolone on stress response and outcome.
Design:
Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.
Setting:
University hospital, Germany.
Subjects:
20 patients listed for abdominal surgery of whom 10 had major intra-abdominal interventions and 10 had incisional hernias repaired.
Interventions:
Methylprednisolone 30 mg/kg (100 ml) was given by slow intravenous infusion 90-60 minutes before operation. The control group received the same volume of sodium chloride.
Main Outcome Measures:
Speed of convalescence, degree of fatigue, amount of pain, consumption of analgesics, breathing capacity, and hospital stay, as well as humoral and cellular mediators of the stress response.
Results:
Methylprednisolone significantly improved criteria of postoperative recovery, fatigue by 47%, (day 1), convalescence by about 45% (days 1-3), and breathing capacity (FEV1) between 47% and 29% (days 5, 7) (p < 0.05, ANOVA), and led to a significant reduction of median hospital stay of 4.5 days. C-reactive protein concentration was significantly decreased (by 46% on day 3) and T-cell activation was suppressed (day 1).
Conclusion:
Outcome of the patients after conventional abdominal surgery is substantially improved by preoperative high dose methylprednisolone. This effect is more pronounced in patients having major operations.