Journal Article

Predictors of Post-operative Pain and Opioid Consumption in Patients Undergoing Liver Surgery

McHardy, P., Ladak, S. S. J., Law, C., Srinivas, C., Clarke, H., Sawyer, J., Katz, J., Hallet, J., Wei, A. C., Greig, P., Cleary, S., McCluskey, S. A., Kiss, A., Coburn, N., Karanicolas, P. J., Behman, R.

2019

Overview

Background Post-operative pain management is a critical component of perioperative care. Patients at risk of poorly controlled post-operative pain may benefit from early measures to optimize pain management. We sought to identify risk factors for post-operative pain and opioid consumption in patients undergoing liver resection. Methods This is a multi-institutional prospective nested cohort study of patients undergoing open liver resection. Opioid consumption and pain scores were collected following surgery. To estimate the effects of patient factors on opioid consumption (oral morphine equivalents—OME) and on pain scores (NRS-11), we used generalized linear models and multivariable linear regression model, respectively. Results One hundred and fifty-three patients who underwent open liver resection between 2013 and 2016 were included in the study. The mean patient age was 62.2 years, and 43.3% were female. Younger patients were significantly more likely to use more opioids in the early post-operative period (16.7 OME/10 years, p  < 0.001). Patient factors that were significantly associated with increased NRS-11 pain scores also included younger patient age (difference in pain score of 0.3/10 years with cough and 0.2/10 years at rest, p  < 0.01 for both) as well as a history of analgesic use (difference in pain score of 0.9 with cough and 0.6 at rest, p  < 0.01 and p  = 0.07, respectively). Conclusion Younger patients and those with a history of analgesic use are more likely to report higher post-operative pain and require higher doses of opioids. Early identification of these patients, and measures to better manage their pain, may contribute to optimal perioperative care.

• Publisher: Springer International Publishing,John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subject: Abdominal Surgery / Adult / Aged / Analgesics / Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use / Cardiac Surgery / Cough / Critical components / Female / General Surgery / Generalized linear models / Hepatectomy / Humans / Liver / Male / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Middle Aged / Morphine / Narcotics / Opioids / Optimization / Original Scientific Report / Pain / Pain management / Pain, Postoperative - drug therapy / Pain, Postoperative - etiology / Patients / Postoperative period / Prospective Studies / Regression analysis / Regression models / Risk analysis / Risk factors / Risk management / Statistical models / Surgery / Thoracic Surgery / Vascular Surgery