Efficacy of preoperative dexamethasone for postoperative nausea and vomiting after laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a large-scale, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in Japan.

Background: To assess the efficacy of preoperative dexamethasone for postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in Japan.

Methods: A total of 270 patients at eight hospitals were randomized to receive dexamethasone 8 mg (n = 136) or placebo (n = 134) intravenously before LC. The primary endpoint was the degree of PONV and antiemetic requirements within 24 h after LC. Secondary endpoints were postoperative complications, postoperative hospital stay, and cost of hospital stay. This study was registered: UMIN-CTR (UMIN000003841).

Results: Within 6 h after LC, 17% (23/136) of patients in the dexamethasone group versus 24% (32/134) in the placebo group reported nausea (P = 0.3), and 5% (7/136) versus 7% (10/134) reported vomiting (P = 0.2). Metoclopramide 10 mg was used 0.09 ± 0.31 versus 0.14 ± 0.35 times (P = 0.2). From 6 to 24 h, 10% (14/136) versus 13% (17/134) reported nausea (P = 0.5), and 5% (7/136) versus 5% (7/134) reported vomiting (P = 0.8). Metoclopramide was used 0.04 ± 0.19 versus 0.03 ± 0.17 times (P = 0.8). Postoperative complications and postoperative hospital stay did not differ significantly between the two groups, but the cost of hospital stay was slightly higher in the dexamethasone group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Routine use of preoperative dexamethasone for PONV after elective LC in Japan was not shown to have a clinical advantage.