Table 3. Efficacy outcomes.
| CTRL group (N = 29) | DEX group (N = 28) | Median difference or OR (95% CI) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary outcome | ||||
| 72-hour morphine consumption (mg) | 49.0 (45.5, 50.0) | 39.0 (37.3, 41.0) | -9.0 (-10.0, -6) | < 0.001 |
| Secondary outcomes | ||||
| Number of patients with rescue morphine | 9 (31.0%) | 2 (7.1%) | 0.171 (0.033, 0.881) | 0.041 |
| Dosage of rescue morphine (mg) | 0.0 (0.0, 2.0) | 0.0 (0.0, 0.0) | 0.0 (0.0, 0.0) | 0.049 |
| NRS pain score after surgery, at rest (score) | ||||
| 4 hours | 4.0 (3.0, 4.5) | 2.0 (2.0, 3.0) | -1.0 (-2.0, -1.0) | < 0.001 |
| 12 hours | 4.0 (3.0, 5.0) | 2.0 (2.0, 3.0) | -2.0 (-2.0, -1.0) | < 0.001 |
| 24 hours | 4.0 (3.0, 5.0) | 2.0 (1.0, 4.0) | -1.0 (-2.0, 0.0) | 0.007 |
| 48 hours | 4.0 (3.0, 5.0) | 2.0 (1.0, 3.5) | -2.0 (-2.0, -1.0) | < 0.001 |
| 72 hours | 2.0 (1.0, 3.0) | 1.0 (0.3, 2.0) | -1.0 (-2.0, 0.0) | 0.042 |
| NRS pain score after surgery, with movement (score) | ||||
| 4 hours | 4.0 (4.0, 4.5) | 3.0 (3.0, 4.8) | -1.0 (-2.0, 0.0) | 0.002 |
| 12 hours | 4.0 (3.0, 5.0) | 4.0 (3.0, 5.0) | 0.0 (-1.0, 0.0) | 0.505 |
| 24 hours | 5.0 (4.0, 6.0) | 3.0 (2.3, 5.0) | -1.0 (-2.0, 0.0) | 0.004 |
| 48 hours | 5.0 (4.0, 6.0) | 3.0 (2.0, 4.8) | -2.0 (-3.0, -1.0) | < 0.001 |
| 72 hours | 3.0 (1.5, 4.5) | 2.0 (1.0, 2.0) | -1.0 (-2.0, 0.0) | 0.012 |
| Supplemental use of flurbiprofen axetil | 13.0 (44.8%) | 6.0 (21.4%) | 0.3 (0.1, 1.1) | 0.061 |
| NRS score of sleep quality (score) | ||||
| The night of surgery | 5.0 (3.0, 6.0) | 6.5 (4.3, 8.8) | 2.0 (0.0, 3.0) | 0.031 |
| The 1st night after surgery | 7.0 (6.0, 7.0) | 8.0 (7.0, 9.0) | 2.0 (1.0, 2.0) | < 0.001 |
| The 2nd night after surgery | 8.0 (7.0, 9.0) | 8.0 (8.0, 9.0) | 0.0 (0.0, 1.0) | 0.471 |
| Other outcomes | ||||
| Incidence of postoperative complications (n) | 9 (31.0%) | 3 (10.7%) | 0.267 (0.064, 1.117) | 0.060 |
| Postoperative complications (n) | ||||
| Acute coronary syndrome | 5 (17.2%) | 1 (3.6%) | 0.178 (0.019, 1.631) | 0.194 |
| New onset atrial fibrillation | 1 (3.4%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0.966 (0.901, 1.034) | > 0.999 |
| Transient ischemic attack | 2 (6.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0.931 (0.843, 1.028) | 0.491 |
| Delirium | 2 (6.9%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0.931 (0.843, 1.028) | 0.491 |
| Urinary tract infection | 1 (3.4%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0.966 (0.901, 1.034) | > 0.999 |
| Intraabdominal infection | 1 (3.4%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0.966 (0.901, 1.034) | > 0.999 |
| Incomplete ileus | 0 (0.0%) | 2 (7.1%) | 1.077 (0.972, 1.193) | 0.237 |
| ICU admission after surgery | 7 (24.1%) | 11 (39.3%) | 2.034 (0.651, 6.356) | 0.219 |
| Length of stay in hospital after surgery (day) | 13.0 (10.4, 15.6) | 12.0 (11.0, 13.0) | 0.644 (0.366, 1.134) | 0.427 |
| 30-day mortality | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | - | - |
Results are presented as median (interquartile range) or number (%).