A Randomised Clinical Trial on the use of prophylactic steroids in the prevention of post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia and voice dysfunction

Dexamethasone has been proposed to have a physiological effect on hypocalcaemia and voice quality. This Double-blinded Randomised placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was carried out to assess the effect of preoperative dexamethasone used to improve hypocalcaemia and post-thyroidectomy voice dysfunction at the Department of Surgery, Holy Family hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. All patients with benign thyroid condition and no preoperative corrected hypocalcaemia and voice or vocal quality dysfunction were included. Corrected serum calcium levels and Voice Analogue Score defined and checked preoperatively. Two parallel groups created as groups A (Dexamethasone group) and B (Control group). The alternate assigning method used to distribute patients into two groups; patients with odd numbers assigned to group A, and those with even numbers assigned to group B. Group A received 8 mg/2 ml dexamethasone intravenously sixty minutes before the induction of anaesthesia. In contrast, Group B received two millilitres (ml) of normal saline (0.9%) intravenously 60 minutes before the induction of anaesthesia.

地塞米松（Dexamethasone）被认为对低钙血症与嗓音质量具有生理学效应。本研究为双盲随机安慰剂对照平行组试验，于巴基斯坦拉瓦尔品第圣家族医院外科开展，旨在评估术前使用地塞米松改善甲状腺切除术后低钙血症与嗓音功能障碍的效果。纳入标准为罹患良性甲状腺疾病，且术前校正后血清钙水平正常、无嗓音或嗓音质量功能障碍的患者。术前对校正后血清钙水平与嗓音模拟评分（Voice Analogue Score）进行定义与检测。设置两个平行分组：A组（地塞米松组）与B组（对照组）。采用交替分配法将患者分为两组：编号为奇数的患者纳入A组，编号为偶数的患者纳入B组。A组患者于麻醉诱导前60分钟静脉输注8 mg/2 ml地塞米松；与之相对，B组患者于麻醉诱导前60分钟静脉输注2毫升（ml）0.9%生理盐水。