• J M Dieleman, G A de Wit, A P Nierich, P M Rosseel, J M van der Maaten, J Hofland, J C Diephuis, F de Lange, C Boer, R E Neslo, K G Moons, L A van Herwerden, J G Tijssen, C J Kalkman, D van Dijk, and DExamethasone for Cardiac Surgery (DECS) Study Group.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
• Anaesthesia. 2017 Jun 1; 72 (6): 704-713.

AbstractProphylactic intra-operative administration of dexamethasone may improve short-term clinical outcomes in cardiac surgical patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness of dexamethasone versus placebo. Patients included in the multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled DExamethasone for Cardiac Surgery (DECS) trial were followed up for 12 months after their cardiac surgical procedure. In the DECS trial, patients received a single intra-operative dose of dexamethasone 1 mg.kg-1 (n = 2239) or placebo (n = 2255). The effects on the incidence of major postoperative events were evaluated. Also, overall costs for the 12-month postoperative period, and cost effectiveness, were compared between groups. Of 4494 randomised patients, 4457 patients (99%) were followed up until 12 months after surgery. There was no difference in the incidence of major postoperative events, the relative risk (95%CI) being 0.86 (0.72-1.03); p = 0.1. Treatment with dexamethasone reduced costs per patient by £921 [€1084] (95%CI £-1672 to -137; p = 0.02), mainly through reduction of postoperative respiratory failure and duration of postoperative hospital stay. The probability of dexamethasone being cost effective compared with placebo was 97% at a threshold value of £17,000 [€20,000] per quality-adjusted life year. We conclude that intra-operative high-dose dexamethasone did not have an effect on major adverse events at 12 months after cardiac surgery, but was associated with a reduction in costs. Routine dexamethasone administration is expected to be cost effective at commonly accepted threshold levels for cost effectiveness.© 2017 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

4 keywords...

hide…