Comparison of Single Intraoperative Dose of Dexamethasone on Glycemic Profile in Postoperative Diabetic and Non-diabetic Patients

Background: This is a prospective observational study. Dexamethasone is commonly associated with postoperative hyperglycemia. There is limited data on the glycemic effect of dexamethasone among the diabetic population. Objectives: In the current investigation, postoperative glucose levels were measured in both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals, and then a single dose of intraoperative dexamethasone was administered. Methods: A total of 86 participants, with ASA I/II, were categorized into two groups: Diabetic and non-diabetic. Each group consisted of 43 individuals. The participants' ages ranged from 18 to 70 years. During the operation, a single dosage of dexamethasone, with a maximum of 8 milligrams, was provided intraoperatively. “Postoperative nausea and vomiting” (PONV), random blood glucose (RBG), and pain ratings were recorded before surgery, immediately after surgery, after 12 hours, and 24 hours following surgery. Preoperative blood glucose levels were also recorded. The “Chi-square test and the unpaired t-test” were used for comparison and to analyze the data. A significance level of P < 0.05 was deemed significant. Results: There was a statistically significant variance in RBG levels between diabetics and non-diabetics (P = 0.001). At various time periods, there was no correlation between the severity of PONV and diabetes among the participants. At various time intervals, the length of the procedure and the pain levels were equivalent to one another. In each group, there was a significant rise in RBG up to 12 hours, followed by a decline after 24 hours to a level similar to preoperative values. Conclusions: A single dose of intraoperative “dexamethasone” was associated with transient hyperglycemia postoperatively up to 12 hours, which was more pronounced among the diabetic population and without major adverse effects like PONV in either group.