The Effects of Dexmedetomidine Administration on Postoperative Blood Glucose Levels in Diabetes Mellitus Patients Undergoing Spinal Anesthesia: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist with sedative and sympatholytic effects. It inhibits the stress response and insulin secretion. Therefore, postoperative changes to blood glucose levels were investigated when DEX was intraoperatively infused for sedation purposes in diabetic patients under spinal anesthesia. METHODS: Twenty diabetic patients were randomly allocated to two groups (n = 10). Group A patients were infused with DEX at a dose of 0.4 - 0.8 μg/kg/hour and group B (control) patients were infused with the same volume of normal saline. The blood glucose levels were measured preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the blood glucose levels in groups A and B up to 24 hours postoperatively (P = 0.088). A statistically significant difference in the blood glucose level was not demonstrated 24 hours after surgery in comparison with the baseline level in Group A. The blood glucose level significantly decreased at three hours in group B in comparison with the level at baseline (P = 0.007) and increased at 24 hours (P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: An intraoperative DEX infusion maintains blood glucose levels at a constant level relative to baseline in diabetic patients within 24 hours postoperatively. The frequency of hyperglycemia was low in group A in the perioperative period compared with that in the control group (group B).