%0 Randomized Controlled Trial %T The effect of oral dexamethasone on duration of analgesia after upper limb surgery under infraclavicular brachial plexus block: a randomised controlled trial. %A Maagaard M %A Plambech MZ %A Funder KS %A Schou NK %A Mølgaard AK %A Stormholt ER %A Leth MF %A Bukhari S %A Mortensen A %A Lunn TH %A Tryggedsson I %A Nørskov AK %A Zamany C %A Toquer P %A Jaeger P %A Andersen JH %A Mathiesen O %J Anaesthesia %V 78 %N 12 %D 2023 12 21 %M 37864459 %F 12.893 %R 10.1111/anae.16149 %X The effects of oral dexamethasone on peripheral nerve blocks have not been investigated. We randomly allocated adults scheduled for forearm or hand surgery to oral placebo (n = 61), dexamethasone 12 mg (n = 61) or dexamethasone 24 mg (n = 57) about 45 min before lateral infraclavicular block. Mean (SD) time until first pain after block were: 841 (327) min; 1171 (318) min; and 1256 (395) min, respectively. Mean (98.3%CI) differences in time until first postoperative pain for dexamethasone 24 mg vs. placebo and vs. dexamethasone 12 mg were: 412 (248-577) min, p < 0.001; and 85 (-78 to 249) min, p = 0.21, respectively. Mean (98.3%CI) difference in time until first postoperative pain for dexamethasone 12 mg vs. placebo was 330 (186-474) min, p < 0.001. Both 24 mg and 12 mg of oral dexamethasone increased the time until first postoperative pain compared with placebo in patients having upper limb surgery under infraclavicular brachial plexus block.