Summary:
In diabetic and non-diabetic adult surgical patients, a single intraoperative dose of dexamethasone significantly increased postoperative blood glucose levels compared to saline placebo, though it was associated with no cases of hyperglycemia above 180 mg/dL and effective reduction in PONV.
| PICO | Description |
|---|---|
| Population | Adult surgical patients including both non-diabetic and well-controlled diabetic individuals undergoing anesthesia. |
| Intervention | Administration of a single intraoperative dose of dexamethasone at the induction of anesthesia. |
| Comparison | Saline placebo administered at the same time point during anesthesia. |
| Outcome | Dexamethasone caused a statistically significant increase in blood glucose levels in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients (P < 0.05). However, no patient exhibited glucose levels exceeding 180 mg/dL within 8 hours post-administration. The use of dexamethasone also effectively reduced postoperative nausea and vomiting within the first 24 hours after surgery. |
Source: Nadia Rose, et al. “The Effect of Single Intraoperative Dose of Dexamethasone on the Blood Glucose Concentration in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients: A Double Blinded Randomized Control Study.” Read article here.
