Dexamethasone-intrathecal minimiser of simple haemathologic stress biomarkers in hip fracture

Abstract

Proximal femoral fractures are the most common cause of emergency admission to hospital with high postoperative morbidity. The hypothesis was that a single shot of intrathecal dexamethasone and levobupivacaine in anaesthesia for surgical correction of proximal femoral fracture in elderly patients reduces surgical stress with better quality hospitalisation. The study included sixty elderly patients with proximal femoral fracture, ASA status 2 and 3, randomised into two groups. The study group of thirty patients received 8 mg of dexamethasone and 12,5 mg of levobupivacaine 0,5 % intrathecally, DLSA group, and the parallel group of thirty patients received 12,5 mg of levobupivacaine 0,5 % intrathecally, LSA group. Plasma cortisol and glucose concentrations were assessed before and after anaesthesia, pain intensity was evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale score and hospitalisation was analysed. Results showed decreased cortisol concentrations, longer analgesia duration and shorter hospitalisation in the DLSA group. Glucose concentrations did not differ significantly between the patients in either group. Enlightening the study results collected, single shot of intrathecal administration of dexamethasone in spinal anaesthesia for surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures reduces the stress response by decreasing plasma cortisol concentrations prolonging analgesia with better rehabilitation possibilities, hence shortening hospitalisation which explains this pattern of anaesthesia.