Table 2 Primary and secondary outcomes.

From: Effects of prophylactic dexamethasone on postoperative nausea and vomiting in scoliosis correction surgery: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

 

Dexamethasone (n = 48)

Control (n = 50)

Between- group difference (95% CI)

RR (95% CI)

P-value

Primary outcome

PONV 0–72 h, % (Number of patients)

 

62.5 (30)

84.0 (42)

 

0.74 (0.58–0.96)

0.02b

Secondary outcomes

PONV, % (Number of patients)

  0–24 h

41.7 (25)

80.0 (40)

 

0.27 (0.11–0.67)

<0.01d

  24–48 h

33.3 (20)

64.0 (32)

 

0.40 (0.18–0.91)

0.03d

  48–72 h

29.6 (16)

48.0 (24)

 

0.54 (0.24–1.24)

0.15d

   Patients with data

48

50

   

VAS score for nausea, mm, estimation (SE)

  0–24 h

24.8 (8.6)

41.6 (8.5)

16.8 (4.6–29.0)

 

<0.01d

  24–48 h

19.4 (8.6)

26.4 (8.5)

7.0 (−5.2–19.1)

 

0.26d

  48–72 h

17.3 (8.6)

12.9 (8.5)

−4.4 (−16.6–7.7)

 

0.48d

   Patients with data

48

50

  

—

Vomiting, % (Number of patients)

  0–24 h

27.1 (13)

32.0 (16)

 

1.17 (0.52–2.61)

0.70d

  24–48 h

10.4 (5)

6.0 (3)

 

1.82 (0.46–7.24)

0.39d

  48–72 h

4.2 (2)

0.0 (0)

 

NA

0.99d

   Patients with data

48

50

  

—

Use of metoclopramide % (Number of patients)

  0–24 h

37.5 (18)

64.0 (32)

 

0.34 (0.15–0.78)

0.01d

  24–48 h

18.8 (9)

40.0 (20)

 

0.34 (0.14–0.88)

0.03d

  48–72 h

12.5 (6)

28.0 (14)

 

0.36 (0.13–1.07)

0.07d

   Patients with data

48

50

  

—

VAS score for pain, mm, estimation (SE)

  0–24 h

49.8 (3.9)

64.6 (3.8)

14.8 (4.0–25.6)

 

<0.01d

  24–48 h

50.5 (3.9)

55.7 (3.8)

5.3 (−5.5–16.0)

 

0.34d

  48–72 h

46.1 (3.9)

56.0 (3.8)

9.9 (−0.9–20.7)

 

0.07d

   Patients with data

48

50

   

PCA requirements during 72 h after surgery, times, median (interquartile range)

 

44.5 (14.5–88.0)

46.0 [8.0–85.5]

  

0.92c

  Patients with data

47

50

   

Cumulative fentanyl dose within 72 h, μg kg−1, mean (SD)

 

24.6 (13.8)

22.7 (14.0)

−1.8 (−7.4–3.8)

 

0.52a

  Patients with data

47

50

   

Postoperative blood loss within 24 h, ml, mean (SD)

 

368 (240)

380 (295)

11.3 (−96.9–119.5)

 

0.83a

  Patients with data

48

50

   

Presence of SSI within one month, % (Number of patients)

 

0.0 (0)

0.0 (0)

 

0.54b

 

  Patients with data

48

50

 

—

 
  1. aThe Student’s t-test, bFisher’s exact test, cMann-Whitney U test or dGeneralized estimating equation analysis were used. CI, confidence interval; NA, not applicable; PCA, patient-controlled analgesia; PONV, postoperative nausea and vomiting; RR, relative risk; SD, standard deviation; SE, standard error; SSI, surgical site infection; VAS, visual analogue scale.
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