Effect of dexamethasone and ramosetron on the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in low-risk patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial

Table 2 Incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting and use of rescue antiemetics

Characteristic	Group C (n = 58)	Group R (n = 58)	Group DR (n = 58)	P value
Postoperative 0–1 h
Incidence of nausea Severity of nausea (0/1/2/3) Rescue antiemetic usage	14(24%) 44/8/4/2 12 (21%)	5(9%)^* 53/2/3/0 4 (7%)^*	4(7%)^* 54/1/2/1 4 (7%)^*	0.010 0.069 0.027
Postoperative 1–6 h
Incidence of nausea Severity of nausea (0/1/2/3) Rescue antiemetic usage	6 (10%) 42/5/1/0 6(10%)	3 (5%) 55/1/2/0 2 (3%)	3 (5%) 55/2/1/0 3 (5%)	0.447 0.284 0.283
Postoperative 6–24 h
Incidence of nausea Severity of nausea (0/1/2/3) Rescue antiemetic usage	3 (5%) 55/3/0/0 3 (5%)	4 (7%) 54/3/0/1 3 (5%)	2 (3%) 56/1/1/0 2 (3%)	0.704 0.521 0.877
Postoperative 24–48 h
Incidence of nausea Severity of nausea (0/1/2/3) Rescue antiemetic usage	4 (7%) 54/4/0/0 4(7%)	3 (5%) 55/2/1/0 3 (5%)	2 (3%) 56/1/1/0 2 (3%)	0.704 0.552 0.704
Postoperative 0–48 h
Incidence of nausea Severity of nausea (0/1/2/3) Rescue antiemetic usage	15 (26%) 43/9/4/2 14 (24%)	9 (16%) 49/4/4/1 7 (12%)	5 (9%)^* 53/2/2/1 5 (9%)^*	0.043 0.273 0.048

Data are presented as n (%) of patients. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (continuous variables) or the χ² test (incidence variables). Patients in group C received 2 mL of intravenous 0.9% saline at the end of surgery; those in group R received 0.3 mg of intravenous ramosetron at the end of the surgery; and those in group DR received 5 mg of intravenous dexamethasone at the induction of anesthesia and 0.3 mg of intravenous ramosetron at the end of surgery. Nausea: 0, none; 1, mild; 2, moderate; 3, severe; emetic episode, retching or vomiting. None of the patients experienced postoperative vomiting. ^*P < 0.05 in comparison with group C (The p-values are based on Scheffe’s post-hoc test adjusted using the Bonferroni correction)

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