High dose glucocorticoids for treatment of postoperative pain: A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis
Authors' conclusion
High doses of glucocorticoids are one of the many possible tools available in multimodal postoperative analgesia, possibly reducing opioids consumption and recurrence of PONV but with no relevant effects in terms of reduction of postoperative VAS score. Available data show a safe therapeutic profile, without increase adverse events.
Study context
- Population
- Non-obese adults undergoing all types of surgery, acute postoperative pain treatment
- Participants
- 3,943 adults · 47 RCTs
- Comparison
- High-dose glucocorticoids vs placebo or no treatment
- Outcome
- Postoperative pain, 0-100 mm VAS, at rest and on movement
- Follow-up
- 24 h after surgery
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
MD of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain at rest 24 h after surgery
−6.18 mm 95% CI
−8.53, −3.83
MD of VAS pain at motion 24 h after surgery
−8.86 mm 95% CI
−11.82, −5.89
Further pooled results
Opioid analgesic requirements (Oral Morphine Equivalents (OME))
- Difference in opioid requirements, OME
- −10.00 mg 95% CI [−13.65, −6.34]
Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV)
- PONV events OR
- 0.29 95%CI [0.24, 0.36]
Safety
Major adverse events
- Major adverse events OR
- 0.88 95% CI [0.65, 1.19]
Minor adverse events
- Minor adverse events OR
- 1.29 95% CI [0.86, 1.92]
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
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