Korean J Anesthesiol.  2012 Jun;62(6):543-547. 10.4097/kjae.2012.62.6.543.

Efficacy comparison of ramosetron with ondansetron on preventing nausea and vomiting in high-risk patients following spine surgery with a single bolus of dexamethasone as an adjunct

• Choi YS
• Shim JK
• Ahn SH
• Kwak YL

• KMID: 1828029
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2012.62.6.543

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Despite the development of a new class of antiemetics, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) still remains a frequent and distressing complication. We compared the prophylactic antiemetic effect of administering dexamethasone 5 mg as an adjunct to ramosetron and ondansetron in patients at high-risk for PONV following lumbar spinal surgery.
METHODS
In this randomized, double-blind study, 120 female non-smoking patients with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) received ramosetron 0.3 mg plus dexamethasone 5 mg (group R + D) or ondansetron 4 mg plus dexamethasone 5 mg (group O + D) intravenously. Fentanyl-based PCA was administered for 48 hr postoperatively; ramosetron 0.3 mg or ondansetron 12 mg was added to the PCA regimen according to the allocated group. The incidence of PONV and rescue antiemetic were assessed for 48 hr postoperatively at 0-6, 6-24, and 24-48 hr.
RESULTS
The overall incidence of PONV did not differ between the groups (50% vs. 60%, in groups R + D and O + D, respectively). The overall incidence of nausea was similar between groups (47% vs. 60%, in groups R + D and O + D, respectively). The overall frequency of vomiting was also similar between groups (8% vs. 12%, in groups R + D and O + D, respectively). The severity of nausea and the overall use of rescue antiemetic were not different between groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The antiemetic efficacy of ramosetron plus dexamethasone was similar to that of ondansetron plus dexamethasone on preventing PONV in high-risk patients undergoing lumbar spinal surgery.

Keyword

Dexamethasone; Ondansetron; Postoperative nausea and vomiting; Ramosetron

MeSH Terms

Analgesia, Patient-Controlled
Antiemetics
Benzimidazoles
Dexamethasone
Double-Blind Method
Female
Humans
Incidence
Nausea
Ondansetron
Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis
Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting
Spine
Vomiting
Antiemetics
Benzimidazoles
Dexamethasone
Ondansetron