Ethics code: IR.SUMS.MED.REC.1398.635
Anesthesiology and Critical Care Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Abstract: (5 Views)
Introduction: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remains among the most common complications after general anesthesia and may delay postoperative recovery. Therefore, the present study evaluated the effects of preoperative oral clonidine versus placebo on PONV among patients undergoing breast cancer surgery.
Methods: This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted in 2020 at Faghihi Hospital, Shiraz, Iran. Sixty-eight patients (aged 28–70 years) scheduled for breast cancer surgery were randomized (1:1) using block randomization to receive either oral clonidine (0.2 mg) or an identical placebo 2 h before surgery. The primary outcome was the incidence and severity of PONV during the first 60 min after surgery. Secondary outcomes included perioperative systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and recovery-room duration. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS (version 23.0), and t-test, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and repeated measures ANOVA.
Results: A total of 68 women (n=34 per group) completed the trial. The mean age was 46.62 ± 10.86 years in the clonidine group and 50.47 ± 9.46 years in the placebo group. The proportion of PONV-free patients was higher with clonidine than with placebo (82.35% vs. 61.76%), although the difference was not significant (p=0.05). Clonidine significantly reduced perioperative SBP, DBP, MAP, and HR and shortened recovery-room stay by 16 min (86±27 vs. 102±33 min; p=0.04).
Conclusion: Preoperative oral clonidine did not significantly reduce PONV after breast cancer surgery, although a clinically relevant trend was observed. Clonidine improved perioperative hemodynamic profiles and reduced recovery-room duration. The lack of statistical significance for the primary outcome may reflect limited statistical power, warranting confirmation in larger randomized trials.
Key words: Breast Neoplasms, Clonidine, Hemodynamic monitoring, Nausea and Vomiting, Surgery
Type of Study:
Research |
Subject:
Breast Cancer Received: 2025/07/20 | Accepted: 2026/07/19 | ePublished ahead of print: 2026/09/15