The Effect Of Dexamethasone On Nausea, Vomiting And Pain In Parturients Undergoing Caesarean Delivery
854-858
Correspondence
Saadipour Kh Department of Physiology, Medicine faculty, Yasuj University of Medical Science, Yasuj, IR-Iran, Pin code: 75917-94338, Email: saadipour_kh@yahoo.com Tel: +989113925268, Fax: +987412230290
Background and Aim: Nausea, retching, vomiting and pain are common in parturients undergoing cesarean delivery which is performed under regional anaesthesia. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prophylactic use of dexamethasone for reducing emetic symptoms (nausea, retching, and vomiting) during caesarean section and analgesic requirements after caesarean surgery.
Material and Method: This is a quasi-experimental study. In a randomized, double-blind trial, 80 parturients received IV placebo (saline) or dexamethasone 8 mg, immediately after clamping of the umbilical cord. Intraoperative, post delivery emetic episodes, severity of pain after surgery, and analgesic requirements were performed by an investigator. The patients experiencing nausea evaluated its severity on a linear numeric scale ranging from 0 (no nausea) to 10 (severe nausea). To determine severity of pain, we used the VAS scale.
Results: The results of this study showed that the rate of emetic symptoms (nausea, retching, and vomiting) in an intraoperative, post delivery period, was lower in patients who received 8 mg dexamethasone than in the placebo group (p< 0.001). Requests for total requirements of opioids to relieve intolerable pain, were less in patients in the dexamethasone group, as compared with the placebo group (P<0.001). In addition, patients in group dexamethasone had significantly lower pain after caesarean than in the placebo group (p<0.05, p<0.001).
Discussion and Conclusion: In the parturients undergoing caesarean delivery performed under spinal anaesthesia in this study, prophylactic use of 8 mg dexamethasone was found to be effective for reducing emetic symptoms (nausea, retching, and vomiting) and analgesic requirements after caesarean section, and is recommended for routine use.