Dexamethasone Reduces Postoperative Nausea in Pediatric Upper Endoscopy With Deep Sedation: A Randomized Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Anesthesiology
• Gastroenterology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication following pediatric upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGIE) under sedation.
• PONV can significantly delay patient recovery and impact the overall patient experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a single preoperative intravenous dose of dexamethasone in preventing PONV in children undergoing elective UGIE.
• To assess the impact of dexamethasone on secondary outcomes including recovery time and adverse events.

Main Methods:

• A double-blind, randomized controlled study included 98 children (aged 2-14) undergoing elective UGIE.
• Patients received either 0.1 mg/kg intravenous dexamethasone or saline placebo after anesthesia induction.
• PONV incidence was the primary outcome, with secondary outcomes including bronchospasm, laryngospasm, emergence delirium, and recovery time.

Main Results:

• PONV incidence was significantly lower in the dexamethasone group (8.2%) compared to the placebo group (26.5%) (P=0.016).
• No statistically significant differences were observed between groups for bronchospasm, laryngospasm, emergence delirium, or recovery time.

Conclusions:

• A single preoperative intravenous dose of dexamethasone is effective in reducing PONV in pediatric patients undergoing UGIE with deep sedation.
• Dexamethasone does not appear to significantly influence recovery time or the incidence of other common postoperative adverse events in this population.