PURPOSE: Oral ondansetron is a safe and effective antiemetic drug to facilitate oral rehydration therapy in acute gastroenteritis (AGE) with mild dehydration. We investigated the effect of oral ondansetron therapy on intravenous (IV) hydration frequency and emergency department length of stay (EDLOS) in dehydrated children with AGE. METHODS: We reviewed 15,813 children aged 12-60 months with primary diagnosis of AGE who visited a tertiary care university-affiliated hospital emergency department. The enrolled children were divided into the pre- (from January 2009 to June 2011) and post- (from January 2016 to June 2018) ondansetron groups according to the implementation of oral ondansetron therapy in the emergency department. As primary outcomes, IV hydration frequency, EDLOS, and hospitalization rate were compared between the 2 groups. As secondary outcomes, EDLOS and hospitalization rate were compared between the children in the post-ondansetron group who underwent the therapy, and those who did not. RESULTS: Of 7,990 enrolled children, 3,300 (41.3%) were designated as the post-ondansetron group, and among them 1,093 (33.1%) underwent oral ondansetron therapy. This group showed a lower IV hydration frequency, a shorter median EDLOS compared to the other group (55.8% vs. 61.9%, P < 0.001; 175.0 vs. 223.0 minutes, P < 0.001, respectively), and a higher hospitalization rate (9.9% vs. 7.9%, P < 0.001). The children in the post-ondansetron group who underwent the therapy showed a shorter median EDLOS and a lower hospitalization rate compared to those who did not (142.0 vs. 205.0 minutes, P < 0.001; 2.9% vs. 13.4%, P < 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Oral ondansetron therapy may reduce IV hydration frequency and EDLOS in dehydrated children with AGE, and can be considered in those having severe vomiting.
Child ; Dehydration ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Fluid Therapy ; Gastroenteritis ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Ondansetron ; Tertiary Healthcare ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Aprepitant is effective in prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, when administrated with other antiemetics. We compared the effectiveness of aprepitant to ondansetron for prevention of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients who received a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) containing opioids. METHODS: 198 patients were randomized into two groups. The treatment group was received an aprepitant, 80 mg, and the control group received a placebo. General anesthesia with inhalational anesthetics–N2O was performed, and PCA was supplied, which contained opioids-NSAIDs-ondansetron. The primary end-point was the incidence of PONV for postoperative 48 hours, and the secondary end-point was the changes in the relationship between PONV incidence and risk factors. RESULTS: PONV incidence in the treatment group was lower than in the control group (18.6% [95% CI: 10.8–26.3], 33.3% [95% CI: 23.6–43.1], respectively, P = 0.021). Relative risk of PONV in the control group was 1.80 (95% CI: 1.08–3.00, P = 0.010). PONV scores peaked at around postoperative 6 hours, then gradually decreased in the control group but not in the treatment group, which showed lower values than the control group (P = 0.001), and no changing patterns were observed (P < 0.001). Risk factors analyzed were sex, surgery type, history of motion sickness or PONV, and smoking habits. Their effects of all risk factors except sex were abolished in the treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic aprepitant with ondansetron was more effective than ondansetron-only regimen in preventing PONV after volatile anesthesia with opioid-containing PCA. Aprepitant abolished the effects of most of risk factors, so it could be efficacious in a high-risk PONV group.
Analgesia, Patient-Controlled* ; Analgesics, Opioid ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Antiemetics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Motion Sickness ; Nausea ; Ondansetron ; Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting* ; Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Vomiting

No abstract available.
Ondansetron* ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting*

Palonosetron is a 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 (5-HT-3) receptor antagonist used for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting. Compared with ondansetron and granisetron, it is a better drug because of prolonged action and minimal side effects. Some adverse effects of palonosetron have been reported. In this report, we describe a 37-year-old male who developed severe hypersensitivity reactions to palonosetron during surgery for kidney donation. His medical history was unremarkable, except for inguinal hernia with herniorrhaphy 8 years ago. The surgery was uneventful until 2 hours 20 minutes. After palonosetron injection, his blood pressure dropped to 80/50 mm Hg, and facial edema, rash, conjunctival swelling, and wheezing developed. The patient was resuscitated by administration of ephedrine, hydrocortisone, and peniramine. Following the surgery, the patient was monitored for 3 days, and there were no subsequent anaphylactic reactions or other complications. The skin test on postoperative day 54 was positive for hypersensitivity to palonosetron. Although palonosetron is known for its safety, other hypersensitivity events have been reported. Ondansetron is another widely used 5-HT-3 antagonist, which has been reported to cause anaphylaxis. Therefore, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of patients experiencing severe adverse reactions to palonosetron.
Adult ; Anaphylaxis* ; Anesthesia, General* ; Blood Pressure ; Drug Hypersensitivity ; Edema ; Ephedrine ; Exanthema ; Granisetron ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Herniorrhaphy ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hypersensitivity ; Kidney ; Male ; Ondansetron ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Respiratory Sounds ; Skin Tests

BACKGROUND: Dexamethasone has a prophylactic effect on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and perioperative hydration is believed to play a role in PONV prophylaxis. This study was performed to examine the combined effects of pre-induction dexamethasone plus super-hydration on PONV and pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). METHODS: A total of 100 female patients undergoing LC were enrolled and randomized equally into two groups. Group DF received 5 mg dexamethasone (pre-induction) plus 30 ml/kg Ringer's lactate (intraoperative) and group D received 5 mg dexamethasone (pre-induction) alone. Anesthetic and surgical managements were standardized for all patients. The incidence and severity of PONV, and intra and post-operative analgesic and postoperative antiemetic consumption, were assessed during the first 24 h postoperatively. Post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) stay and aggregated 24 h pain scores were calculated. RESULTS: Group DF had significantly lower PONV than group D (P = 0.03). The number of patients with the lowest PONV score was significantly increased in group DF (P = 0.03). Ondansetron consumption was significantly lower in group DF (P < 0.0001). The mean accumulated 24 h pain scores were significantly lower in group DF compared to group D (P < 0.0001). The time to first analgesic request was significantly longer in group DF than group D (P < 0.0001). In addition, total meperidine consumption during the first postoperative 24 h was significantly lower in group DF than group D (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In female patients undergoing LC, pre-induction with 5 mg dexamethasone plus intraoperative 30 ml/kg Ringer's lactate solution decreased PONV and pain during the first 24 h postoperatively compared to 5 mg dexamethasone alone.
Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Dexamethasone* ; Female* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lactic Acid ; Laparoscopy ; Meperidine ; Ondansetron ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting*

BACKGROUND: The Htr3a antagonist, ondansetron, has been reported to prolong the QT interval and induce Torsades de pointes in the treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting. To explore the mechanisms underlying these findings, we examined the effects of ondansetron on the mouse cardiac voltage-gated K⁺ (Kv) channel. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ondansetron increased QT intervals in late pregnant (LP) mice. We measured the Kv channels in freshly isolated left ventricular (LV) myocytes from non-pregnant (NP) and late pregnant (LP) mice, using patch-clamp electrophysiology. Ondansetron blocked Kv current at a dose of 50 µM, and reduced the amplitude of peak current densities in a dose-dependent manner (0, 1, 5, 50 µM), in LP but not in NP mice. In contrast, serotonin and the Htr3 agonist, m-CPBG, increased Kv current densities in NP, but not in LP mice. Interestingly, during pregnancy, serum serotonin levels were markedly increased, suggesting the saturation of the effect of serotonin. Immunostaning data showed that Kv4.3 protein and Htr3a co-localize at the membrane and t-tubule of cardiomyocytes. Moreover, Kv4.3 membrane trafficking was enhanced in response to Htr3a-mediated serotonin stimulation in NP, but not in LP mice. Membrane analysis showed that serotonin enhances Kv4.3 membrane trafficking in NP, but not LP mice. CONCLUSION: Ondansetron reduced Kv current densities, and reduced the Kv4.3 membrane trafficking in LP mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes. This data suggests that QT prolongation by ondansetron is mediated by the reduction of Kv current densities and Kv4.3 membrane trafficking.
Animals ; Electrophysiology ; Membranes ; Mice* ; Muscle Cells* ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Ondansetron* ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Pregnancy ; Serotonin ; Torsades de Pointes

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of intravenous ondansetron (4 mg, 2 mL) and granisetron (2 mg, 2 mL) for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in patients during oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures under general anesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, randomized, and double blind clinical study was carried out with 60 patients undergoing oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures under general anesthesia. Patients were divided into two groups of 30 individuals each. Approximately two minutes before induction of general anesthesia, each patient received either 4 mg (2 mL) ondansetron or 2 mg (2 mL) granisetron intravenously in a double blind manner. Balanced anesthetic technique was used for all patients. Patients were assessed for episodes of nausea, retching, vomiting, and the need for rescue antiemetic at intervals of 0-2, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours after surgery. Incidence of complete response and adverse effects were assessed at 24 hours postoperatively. Data was tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis using the chi-square test, unpaired t-test, or the Mann-Whitney U-test as appropriate. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for incidence of PONV or the need for rescue antiemetic. Both study drugs were well tolerated with minimum adverse effects; the most common adverse effect was headache. The overall incidence of complete response in the granisetron group (86.7%) was significantly higher than the ondansetron group (60.0%). CONCLUSION: Granisetron at an intravenous dose of 2 mg was found to be safe, well tolerated, and more effective by increasing the incidence of complete response compared to 4 mg intravenous ondansetron when used for antiemetic prophylaxis in maxillofacial surgery patients receiving general anesthesia. Benefits of granisetron include high receptor specificity and high potency, which make it a valuable alternative to ondansetron.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General* ; Double-Blind Method* ; Granisetron* ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Nausea ; Ondansetron* ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Prospective Studies* ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Surgery, Oral* ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common problem after general anesthesia. Although 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonists have significantly reduced PONV, over 35% of patients treated with ondansetron can experience PONV. In this study, we investigated whether the Y129S and -100_-102AAG deletion polymorphisms of the 5-HT3B receptor gene affect the efficacy of ondansetron in preventing PONV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and forty-five adult patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy were enrolled. Ondansetron 0.1 mg/kg was intravenously administered 30 minutes before the end of surgery. Genomic DNA was prepared from blood samples using a nucleic acid isolation device. Both the Y129S variant and the -100_-102AAG deletion variant were screened for using a single base primer extension assay and a DNA direct sequencing method, respectively. The relationship between genetic polymorphisms and clinical outcomes of ondansetron treatment was investigated. RESULTS: Among the 5-HT3B AAG deletion genotypes, the incidence of PONV was higher in patients with the homomutant than with other genotypes during the first 2 hours after surgery (p=0.02). There were no significant differences in the incidence of PONV among genotypes at 2-24 hours after surgery. In the Y129S variants of the 5-HT3B receptor gene, there were no significant differences in the incidence of PONV among genotypes during the first 2 hours and at 2-24 hours after surgery. CONCLUSION: The response to ondansetron for PONV was significantly influenced by the -100_-102AAG deletion polymorphisms of the 5-HT3B gene. Thus, the -100_-102AAG deletion variants may be a pharmacogenetic predictor for responsiveness to ondansetron for PONV.
Adult ; Aged ; Anesthesia, General ; Antiemetics/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic ; Female ; Genome, Human ; Genotype ; Humans ; Incidence ; Injections, Intravenous ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ondansetron/administration & dosage/*pharmacology ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting/chemically induced/*drug therapy/epidemiology ; Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3/*drug effects/*genetics ; Time Factors

BACKGROUND: Microvascular decompression with retromastoid craniotomy carries an especially high risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting. In this study, we compare the antiemetic efficacy of ramosetron and ondansetron in patients undergoing microvascular decompression with retromastoid craniotomy. METHODS: Using balanced anesthesia with sevoflurane and remifentanil infusion, ondansetron 8 mg (group O, n = 31) or ramosetron 0.3 mg (group R, n = 31) was administered at the dural closure. The incidence and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting, required rescue medications and the incidence of side effects were measured at post-anesthetic care unit, 6, 24 and 48 hours postoperatively. Independent t-tests and the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: There were no differences in the demographic data between groups, except for a slightly longer anesthetic duration of group R (P = 0.01). The overall postoperative 48 hour incidences of nausea and vomiting were 93.6 and 61.3% (group O), and 87.1 and 51.6% (group R), respectively. Patients in group R showed a less severe degree of nausea (P = 0.02) and a lower incidence of dizziness (P = 0.04) between 6 and 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS: The preventive efficacy of ramosetron when used for postoperative nausea and vomiting was similar to that of ondansetron up to 48 hours after surgery in patients undergoing microvascular decompression with retromastoid craniotomy. A larger randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm our findings.
Antiemetics* ; Balanced Anesthesia ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Craniotomy* ; Dizziness ; Humans ; Incidence ; Microvascular Decompression Surgery* ; Nausea ; Ondansetron* ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting ; Vomiting

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) are common following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Dexamethasone has been reported to reduce PONV. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding the effect of dexmedetomidine in decreasing PONV. This study was designed to compare the effects of a single dose of dexmedetomidine to dexamethasone for reducing PONV after LC. METHODS: Eighty-six adult patients scheduled for LC were randomized to receive either single dose 1 microg/kg of dexmedetomidine (Dexmed group, N = 43) or 8 mg dexamethasone (Dexa group, N = 43) before skin incision. During the first 24 h postoperatively, the incidence and severity of PONV were assessed. Pain and sedation scores were assessed on arrival in the recovery room and early postoperatively. Analgesic and antiemetic consumption during the 24 h after surgery were calculated. Intra-operative and postoperative hemodynamics were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-one percent of the patients in the Dexmed group developed PONV compared to 28% in the Dexa group (P = 0.6). Severity of PONV was similar between the two groups (P = 0.07). Early postoperatively, pain severity was significantly lower in the Dexmed group, but sedation scores were significantly higher. The first analgesic request was significantly delayed in the Dexmed group (P = 0.02). The total amounts of intraoperative fentanyl and postoperative tramadol administered were significantly lower in the Dexmed group. No difference in ondansetron was noted between the two groups. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were significantly lower in the Dexmed group after administration of dexmedetomidine. No major side effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Dexmedetomidine reduces the incidence and severity of PONV, similar to dexamethasone. It is superior to dexamethasone in reducing postoperative pain and total analgesic consumption during the first 24 h after LC.
Adult ; Arterial Pressure ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Dexamethasone* ; Dexmedetomidine* ; Fentanyl ; Heart Rate ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Incidence ; Laparoscopy ; Ondansetron ; Pain, Postoperative ; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting* ; Recovery Room ; Skin ; Tramadol