Comparison of Dexamethasone at Three Doses Administered Postoperatively for Improving Pain Control and Sleep Quality in Patients Who Underwent Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Triple Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty 2024-09
• Main Authors: Afshar, Amir M., Sharma, Suresh K., Hamidi, Seyed Hosseini, Marznaki, Zohreh Hosseini, Mudgal, Shiv K., Kamyari, Naser, Khalilizad, Majid
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: dexamethasone; pain; randomized controlled trial; sleep quality; total knee arthroplasty
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2024.09.006

Dexamethasone has been shown to alleviate pain, yet the optimal dosing and safety profiles remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and impact on sleep quality of three different doses of intravenous dexamethasone in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In this randomized, triple-blind, clinical trial, we assessed the analgesic effects of three doses of intravenous dexamethasone (four, eight, and 16 mg) in adult patients who underwent TKA. Pain was measured using the visual analog scale at one, 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively, and sleep quality was assessed two weeks postsurgery. A total of 90 participants were enrolled in the study, with 30 participants in each dosing group. The mean visual analog scale scores at 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively showed significant improvement from baseline in all groups. Notably, the 16 mg and eight mg dexamethasone groups demonstrated significantly greater pain reduction compared to the four mg group (P < 0.05). Additionally, sleep quality significantly improved in the 16 mg and eight mg groups (P < 0.05). Dexamethasone at doses of four, eight, and 16 mg effectively reduces pain and enhances sleep quality in patients undergoing TKA, with the 16 mg dose showing the most pronounced effects at 12, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively.