A Repeat Dose of Perioperative Dexamethasone Can Effectively Reduce Pain, Opioid Requirement, Time to Ambulation, and In-Hospital Stay After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

The ideal dose of intravenous glucocorticoids to control pain in total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains unclear. This randomized controlled trial compared postoperative pain and tramadol requirement in patients undergoing unilateral primary THA who received one versus two perioperative doses of dexamethasone.

Patients consented to undergo blinded, simple randomization to either one (at anesthetic induction [1D-group]: 54 patients) or two (with an additional dose 8 hours after surgery [2D-group]: 61 patients) perioperative doses of 8-mg intravenous dexamethasone. Pain was evaluated with visual analog scale at 8, 16, and 24 hours postoperatively and with tramadol requirement. The secondary outcomes included postoperative nausea and vomiting, time to ambulation, and length of stay.

Age (mean, 66 ± 13 years), body mass index (mean, 29 ± 5), gender (60% female), and history of diabetes were similar between groups (P >.05). Pain was higher at 16 (4 [interquartile range {IQR} 3-5] vs 2 [IQR 1-3]; P <.001) and 24 (2.5 [IQR 2-3] vs 1 [IQR 0-1] P <.001) hours postoperatively in the 1D-group patients. 1D-group patients had significantly more tramadol consumption (50 [IQR 50-100] vs 0 [IQR 0-50]; P = .01), as well as postoperative nausea and vomiting (18 [33.3%] vs 5 [8.2%]; P = .001). Fifty-five (90%) patients in the 2D-group and 32 (59%) in the 1D-group ambulated on postoperative day 0 (P = .0002). Fifty-eight (95%) patients in the 2D-group and 37 (68%) in the 1D-group were discharged on postoperative day 1 (P = .0002).

An additional dose of dexamethasone at 8 hours postoperatively significantly reduced pain, tramadol consumption, time to ambulation, and length of stay after primary THA.