Global 
Deutschland Esophagus to Small Intestine
Gastrointest Endosc. 2026;103(4):712-722
Intravenous dextrose during emergence from deep sedation reduces postprocedural dizziness in adults undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy: A randomized controlled trial
Background and aims: Dizziness is a central symptom of postoperative fatigue syndrome after gastrointestinal endoscopy under deep sedation, affecting the quality of postoperative recovery, elevating health care costs, and increasing the risk of falls. Preliminary studies suggest that dextrose supplementation may provide symptomatic relief, but evidence for optimal dosage and safety remains limited. This randomized controlled trial aimed to assess whether intravenous 5% dextrose during emergence from deep sedation could reduce postprocedural dizziness in adults undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy under deep sedation.
Methods: This single-center, prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial enrolled 102 adults undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy under deep sedation. Participants were randomized to receive 200 mL of intravenous 5% dextrose (intervention) or 0.9% sodium chloride (control) at a rate of 400 mL/h during emergence from deep sedation. The primary outcomes were the incidence and severity of dizziness. Secondary outcomes included quality of recovery, emergence time, and severity of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).
Results: There was a significant difference in the overall incidence of dizziness within 30 minutes postoperatively (p = 0.002). Dizziness severity was significantly reduced in the dextrose group at both 15 minutes (p = 0.005) and 30 minutes postoperatively (p < 0.001). The interaction between intervention and time was also significant (odds ratio = 0.058, p < 0.001). The dextrose group exhibited a better Quality of Recovery-40 score (p = 0.030). However, the 5% dextrose group showed no statistically significant differences in emergence time (p = 0.349) or PONV severity (30 minutes, p = 0.091; 2 hours, p = 0.080) compared with the control group.
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that intravenous 5% dextrose administered during emergence from deep sedation significantly reduces the incidence and severity of postprocedural dizziness in adults undergoing gastrointestinal endoscopy, with a potent time-dependent protective effect and a clinically impactful number needed to treat of 3.4. Future large-scale, multicenter studies with rigorous designs are needed to validate these findings. Such studies should include diabetic patients and compare dextrose against Ringer’s solution.