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Antiemetic prophylaxis in thyroid surgery: a randomized, double-blind comparison of three 5-HT3 agents

Journal of Anesthesia volume 25, pages 356–362 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this double-blind randomized study was to compare the antiemetic efficacy of three 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 antagonists in terms of the incidence and intensity of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in a homogenous group of female patients undergoing thyroidectomy.

Methods

The study cohort consisted of 203 American Society of Anesthesiologists PS I–II female patients randomized into four groups to receive at induction of anesthesia an intravenous (IV) bolus of 5 ml solution of one of the following: normal saline (placebo), granisetron 3 mg, ondansetron 4 mg, or tropisetron 5 mg. Nausea and vomiting were evaluated at five time points: during the first hour in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and 6, 12, 18, and 24 h postoperatively. Nausea intensity was measured using a visual analogue scale score (0–10).

Results

Patients in the placebo group displayed a high incidence of nausea in the PACU and at 6, 12, and 18 h postoperatively (44, 60, 50, and 34%, respectively) and of vomiting (26, 42, 30 and 10%). The administration of granisetron reduced significantly the incidence of nausea at 6, 12, and 18 h (26, 18, and 2%, respectively) and vomiting at 6 and 12 h (10 and 6%, respectively). Ondansetron reduced significantly the incidence of nausea and vomiting only at 6 h postoperatively (28 and 12%, respectively). The administration of tropisetron did not affect the incidence of PONV compared to placebo.

Conclusion

Among the female patients of this study undergoing thyroid surgery, granisetron 3 mg provided the best prophylaxis from PONV. Ondansetron 4 mg was equally effective, but its action lasted only 6 h, whereas tropisetron 5 mg was found ineffective.

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Conflict of interest

There are no conflicts of interest related to the study.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Maria Metaxari & Aikaterini Chatzimichali

  2. Medical School, University of Crete, P.O. Box 2208, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    Alexandra Papaioannou & Helen Askitopoulou

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece

    Anastasios Petrou

  4. Department of Anesthesiology, General Hospital of Paphos, Paphos, Cyprus

    Elena Pharmakalidou

Authors
  1. Maria Metaxari
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  2. Alexandra Papaioannou
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  3. Anastasios Petrou
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  4. Aikaterini Chatzimichali
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  5. Elena Pharmakalidou
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  6. Helen Askitopoulou
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexandra Papaioannou.

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Cite this article

Metaxari, M., Papaioannou, A., Petrou, A. et al. Antiemetic prophylaxis in thyroid surgery: a randomized, double-blind comparison of three 5-HT3 agents. J Anesth 25, 356–362 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-011-1119-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-011-1119-2

Keywords

  • PONV
  • Granisetron
  • Ondansetron
  • Tropisetron
  • Thyroid surgery