Role of Dexamethasone Therapy in Preventing Transient Hypocalcemia after Total Thyroidectomy

Abstract

Objective: To see the effect of dexamethasone therapy in preventing transitory hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy.

Study Design: Cross sectional analytical study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the department of ENT, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur from March 2020 till April 2021 for a period of one year.

Materials and Methods: Total 62 participants had complete thyroidectomy. Participants were randomly allocated to every one of 2 groups: control (n=32) and dexamethasone group (n=32) in which injected Intravenous dexamethasone 8 mg dose 45 minutes prior to skin incision procedure. All participants were screened for purpose of clinical and laboratory hypocalcaemia next to surgery.

Results: While adjusting of baseline factors, post-operative transitory biochemical hypoparathyroidism as well as hypocalcaemia was not occurred more commonly with in control study group and in those participants in the dexamethasone group. However, the dexamethasone & control groups had a big variation for phosphorus levels (P=0.028). Following surgery, a total of 17 patients (53.1%) had hypocalcemia. Furthermore, the control group 23 (71.9%) had symptomatic hypocalcemia following the operation frequently than the dexamethasone group 9 (28.1%), But statistically this difference was not significant (P=0.592).

Conclusion: Due to Pre-operative dexamethasone treatment, it caused decrease in the frequency of hypocalcemia post-operatively. For improved findings, further research must be conducted using validated approaches.