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Corticosteroid use linked with decreased interleukin-6 levels in patients after THA
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At 6 hours and 24 hours postoperatively, patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty and received corticosteroids had a statistically significant decrease in interleukin-6 levels but not in thrombogenic markers.
Researchers randomly assigned 27 patients scheduled to undergo total hip arthroplasty (THA) to receive either 20 mg of oral prednisone 2 hours preoperatively and followed by two doses of 100-mg intravenous hydrocortisone sodium succinate taken 8 hours apart or take a placebo at the same time points. Patients had blood drawn at baseline, wound closure, 4 hours, 6 hours and 24 hours postoperatively for assays of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), prothrombin fragment 1.2 (PF1.2) and plasmin-alpha-2-antiplasmin (PAP). Investigators also recorded patients’ in-hospital VAS pain scores, patient-controlled analgesia use and ability to climb stairs.
While results showed no significant differences in serum PF1.2 and PAP levels between the study group and control group at any time point and no differences in mean IL-6 levels at baseline, wound closure or 4 hours postoperatively, the study group had significantly reduced mean IL-6 concentrations at 6 hours and 24 hours postoperatively compared with the control group. Researchers also noted no significant difference in postoperative VAS scores between groups. However, on the day of surgery and the second postoperative day, the study group had significantly less mean peak postoperative VAS scores, as well as significantly less total administered patient-controlled analgesia medication volume, according to results. Researchers found 7.6% of patients in the study group had difficulty with stairs at 3 months postoperatively vs. 28.57% of patients in the control group. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosures: Sculco reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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