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Steroids prevent nausea and vomiting after day-case surgery, but do they harm the immune system?

The influence of antiemetic doses of dexamethasone on postoperative lymphocyte sub-populations after laparoscopic day-case gynaecological surgery

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ANZCTR
Registry ID
ACTRN12608000340336
Enrollment
75
Registered
2008-07-18
Start date
2008-08-01
Completion date
Unknown
Last updated
2020-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

None listed

Brief summary

Postoperative nausea and vomiting remains a significant problem in modern anaesthetic practice. One of the most effective anti-sickness agents (antiemetics) available is a steroid drug: dexamethasone. Steroids are also used to suppress the immune system and inflammation in the body. This immune supression can also predispose to the development of infection. We wish to investigate whether the small doses of dexamethasone used in anaesthesia affects the nature and function of important immune system cells known as lymphocytes.

Interventions

Dexamethasone 4 mg or 8 mg given intravenously once at induction of anaesthesia

Sponsors

Professor Michael Paech
Lead SponsorIndividual

Study design

Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Blinded (masking used)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

Females undergoing day-case laparoscopic gynaecological surgery. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification 1-3 patients

Exclusion criteria

Current drug therapry with drugs with antiemetic or systemic steroidal activity. Known or suspected malignancy. Patients receiving implants such as mesh repairs. Opioid-tolerence. Hypertension. Diabetes mellitus. Peptic ulceration. Intolerence to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Hypersensitivity to dexathethasone, granisetron or droperidol

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ANZCTR · Data processed: Mar 9, 2026