Table 3.

Postoperative analgesia and recovery duration

Variables	Postoperativetime	Groups			p-values
		S	R	RD	p1	p2	p3
VAS	6 h	0.96 (1.19)	0.58 (0.83)	0.24 (0.44)	0.152	0.009*	0.195
	12 h	1.09 (0.90)	0.50 (0.66)	0.48 (0.60)	0.008*	0.008*	0.914
	24 h	1.70 (1.02)	1.71 (1.08)	0.81 (0.40)	0.962	0.002*	0.001*
	48 h	2.00 (1.09)	1.46 (1.18)	1.33 (0.66)	0.071	0.033*	0.681
	72 h	2.00 (1.41)	1.29 (0.91)	1.10 (0.63)	0.023*	0.005*	0.531
Effective pressing numbers	6 h	3.96 (4.72)	1.83 (2.30)	1.62 (1.77)	0.027*	0.019*	0.825
	12 h	4.30 (4.37)	1.75 (2.47)	1.67 (1.98)	0.007*	0.007*	0.929
	24 h	6.70 (6.06)	8.38 (7.37)	3.86 (2.95)	0.329	0.113	0.012*
	48 h	8.35 (6.58)	6.42 (6.83)	6.71 (6.47)	0.323	0.418	0.881
	72 h	11.13 (9.88)	5.50 (5.35)	5.52 (4.98)	0.022*	0.028*	0.881
Sum of pressing numbers	Day 3	32.91 (22.11)	23.88 (17.09)	19.38 (15.02)	0.097	0.018*	0.417
First out-of-bed activity	Days	4.57 (2.27)	3.33 (1.24)	3.19 (1.03)	0.010*	0.006*	0.765
Postoperative stay in hospital	Days	16.61 (12.46)	10.88 (3.15)	11.62 (3.44)	0.013*	0.036*	0.748
Stay in hospital	Days	23.96 (13.08)	18.38 (5.30)	20.46 (8.76)	0.028*	0.058	0.807
Total hospitalization		62759.70	51870.58	55172.86	0.019*	0.110	0.479
expenditures (CNY)		(24554.63)	(8560.51)	(5943.83)

Notes: Data represent mean (SD). p¹, group R vs group S; p², group RD vs group S; p³, group RD vs group R.

^*Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). S, saline; R, 0.5% ropivacaine; RD, 5 mg dexamethasone and 0.5% ropivacaine. CNY= Chinese Yuan.

Abbreviation: VAS, visual analog scale.