The Study
The effect of preoperative oral carbohydrate intake on perioperative well-being in patients undergoing hip and lower extremity orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia: a randomized controlled trial
This study is like a fair test where half the patients got a sweet drink before surgery and half didn’t. The ones who drank it said they felt less thirsty, hungrier, anxious, or in pain afterward. But we can’t say for sure the drink caused it, because the patients and nurses knew who got it.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Before surgery, some patients get really thirsty, hungry, anxious, and in pain from fasting. This study gave some patients a sweet drink (like sugary water) 2–3 hours before surgery, while others fasted like usual.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 566 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — reducing thirst, hunger, and anxiety makes surgery less stressful and more comfortable, even if it doesn’t stop nausea.
- 2Patients likely felt calmer and more at ease during recovery.
- 3Patients who drank the sweet drink felt significantly less thirst, hunger, anxiety, and pain during and after surgery — especially at 6 and 24 hours — compared to those who didn't drink anything.
- 4But they still got just as nauseous or vomited as the fasting group.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Langenbeck's Archives of Surgery
Year
2025
Authors
Maryam Ghaffari, Mahboubeh Rezaei, Mohammadreza Zarei, Akram Yazdani, Mohammadali Saadati
Related Content
Claims (6)
Patients who drink a sugary solution before surgery report less hunger and anxiety during surgery compared to those who fast, based on self-reported scores.
Adults who drink a 200 mL solution of 10% dextrose before hip or leg surgery under spinal anesthesia experience lower pain and anxiety levels for up to 24 hours after surgery compared to those who do not.
Patients who drink 200 mL of a 10% sugar solution 2–3 hours before hip or leg surgery under spinal anesthesia report lower thirst and pain levels during surgery compared to those who fast, as measured by a standard pain and thirst scale.
Giving adults a 200 mL drink of 10% sugar water 2 to 3 hours before hip or leg surgery under spinal anesthesia does not reduce nausea or vomiting after surgery compared to not eating or drinking before surgery.
In adults having hip or leg surgery with spinal anesthesia, drinking 200 mL of a 10% dextrose solution before surgery reduces anxiety but does not reduce postoperative nausea or vomiting.
Some people experience higher anxiety after eating meals high in carbohydrates.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.