ABSTRACT
The objective was to evaluate whether preoperative administration of dexamethasone improved postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), pain and respiratory function tests in women undergoing conservative surgery for breast cancer. This was a controlled clinical trial conducted between June 2013 and October 2014. Eighty patients were evaluated. Patients received a preoperative dose of 8 mg of dexamethasone (n = 40) or placebo (n = 40). The data on PONV and pain intensity was obtained and forced spirometry tests were performed, 1 hr before and at 1, 6, 12 and 24 hr after surgery. Any use of additional analgesic/antiemetic drugs was recorded. Patients were followed until 30 days after surgery for any surgical or medical complications. The pain intensity was lower in the treatment group for all periods; PONV was lower at 6, 12 and 24 hr; Additional analgesics/antiemetics were required less frequently (all p < .05). Both groups exhibited a restrictive ventilatory pattern immediately after surgery, which was reversed in the following hours. However, spirometric values were higher in the dexamethasone group. There were no pulmonary or metabolic complications after surgery. Our conclusions were that dexamethasone significantly reduced the incidences of PONV, pain and improved respiratory parameters, and reduced the need for additional postoperative analgesic and antiemetic drugs.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/surgery , Antiemetics/therapeutic use , Breast Neoplasms/surgery , Dexamethasone/therapeutic use , Mastectomy, Segmental , Pain, Postoperative/epidemiology , Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting/epidemiology , Respiration Disorders/epidemiology , Adult , Aged , Analgesics, Opioid/therapeutic use , Double-Blind Method , Female , Forced Expiratory Volume , Humans , Middle Aged , Morphine/therapeutic use , Ondansetron/therapeutic use , Pain Measurement , Pain, Postoperative/drug therapy , Peak Expiratory Flow Rate , Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting/drug therapy , Preoperative Care/methods , Respiration Disorders/physiopathology , Spirometry , Vital CapacityABSTRACT
Weight gain is observed in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and is a well-known complication. Several factors that contributing to weight gain have been identified. However, there is a lack of information about factors associated with weight changes following adjuvant chemotherapy. A retrospective cohort of 200 pre- and post-menopausal Mexican patients treated for breast cancer was made. Anthropometric variables were measured before/after treatment. Biomarkers, cellular differentiation and chemotherapy were similar between groups. Weight gain occurred in 85.6% of pre-menopausal and 72.6% of post-menopausal women (p = .03). At the end of chemotherapy, weight and body mass index (BMI) did not differ significantly between pre-menopausal (69.3 ± 12.6 kg; 26.6 ± 4.8 kg/m2 ) and post-menopausal women (69.5 ± 10.9 kg; 27.3 ± 4.4 kg/m2 ) (p = .91 and 0.34). Dexamethasone doses were higher in pre-menopausal (85.7 ± 39.1 g) than post-menopausal patients (79.2 ± 22.5 g; p = .13). Weight loss was observed in 9.2% of pre-menopausal and 20.2% of post-menopausal patients (p = .04). A multivariate analysis revealed that age (OR = 2.7; 95% CI = 1.26-5.79; p = .01), menopausal status (OR = 2.29; 95% CI = 1.09-4.80; p = .03), dexamethasone dosage (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.04-4.23; p = .03) and daily caloric intake (OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.12-5.10; p = .02) were independent variables that inducted weight gain. Pre- and post-menopausal women gained weight, but more pre-menopausal patients showed gain. An effort should be made to administer lower steroid doses to reduce weight gain.
