Repeat Doses of Dexamethasone up to 48 Hours Further Reduce Pain and Inflammation After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: The optimal dose regimen of dexamethasone in total hip arthroplasty (THA) is unclear. This study was conducted to compare the effects among 1-dose, 2-dose, and 3-dose dexamethasone in THA.

Methods: One hundred fifty patients were randomized to receive a single preoperative dose of 10-mg dexamethasone (group A, 50 patients), or another dose of 10-mg dexamethasone 24 hours later (group B, 50 patients), or another 2 doses of 10-mg dexamethasone 24 and 48 hours later (group C, 50 patients). The primary outcome was postoperative pain level. The use of analgesic and antiemetic rescue; incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting; C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels; range of motion; and complications were also compared.

Results: The dynamic pain scores were lower for groups B and C compared to group A on postoperative days 2 and 3. Such difference was also detected between groups B and C on postoperative day 3. C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels were lower in groups B and C than in group A at 48 and 72 hours postoperatively. Such difference was also observed between groups B and C at 72 hours postoperatively. Patients in groups B and C had reduced rescue analgesic use, and improved range of motion compared to patients in group A. There were no differences among 3 groups regarding the rescue antiemetic use, postoperative nausea and vomiting occurrence, and complications.

Conclusion: Additional administrations of dexamethasone after THA could provide sustained pain relief and inflammatory control. Besides, the 3-dose regimen was more effective than the 2-dose regimen in terms of the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

Level of evidence: I.

Keywords: clinical outcome; dexamethasone; multiple-dose treatment; randomized controlled study; total hip arthroplasty.