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Fiore JF, El-Kefraoui C, Chay MA, Nguyen-Powanda P, Do U, Olleik G, Rajabiyazdi F, Kouyoumdjian A, Derksen A, Landry T, Amar-Zifkin A, Bergeron A, Ramanakumar AV, Martel M, Lee L, Baldini G, Feldman LS. Opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after surgical discharge: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. Lancet 2022; 399:2280-2293. [PMID: 35717988 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(22)00582-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Excessive opioid prescribing after surgery has contributed to the current opioid crisis; however, the value of prescribing opioids at surgical discharge remains uncertain. We aimed to estimate the extent to which opioid prescribing after discharge affects self-reported pain intensity and adverse events in comparison with an opioid-free analgesic regimen. METHODS In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, AMED, Biosis, and CINAHL from Jan 1, 1990, until July 8, 2021. We included multidose randomised controlled trials comparing opioid versus opioid-free analgesia in patients aged 15 years or older, discharged after undergoing a surgical procedure according to the Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the Enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity definition (minor, moderate, major, and major complex). We screened articles, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias (Cochrane's risk-of-bias tool for randomised trials) in duplicate. The primary outcomes of interest were self-reported pain intensity on day 1 after discharge (standardised to 0-10 cm visual analogue scale) and vomiting up to 30 days. Pain intensity at further timepoints, pain interference, other adverse events, risk of dissatisfaction, and health-care reutilisation were also assessed. We did random-effects meta-analyses and appraised evidence certainty using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations scoring system. The review was registered with PROSPERO (ID CRD42020153050). FINDINGS 47 trials (n=6607 patients) were included. 30 (64%) trials involved elective minor procedures (63% dental procedures) and 17 (36%) trials involved procedures of moderate extent (47% orthopaedic and 29% general surgery procedures). Compared with opioid-free analgesia, opioid prescribing did not reduce pain on the first day after discharge (weighted mean difference 0·01cm, 95% CI -0·26 to 0·27; moderate certainty) or at other postoperative timepoints (moderate-to-very-low certainty). Opioid prescribing was associated with increased risk of vomiting (relative risk 4·50, 95% CI 1·93 to 10·51; high certainty) and other adverse events, including nausea, constipation, dizziness, and drowsiness (high-to-moderate certainty). Opioids did not affect other outcomes. INTERPRETATION Findings from this meta-analysis support that opioid prescribing at surgical discharge does not reduce pain intensity but does increase adverse events. Evidence relied on trials focused on elective surgeries of minor and moderate extent, suggesting that clinicians can consider prescribing opioid-free analgesia in these surgical settings. Data were largely derived from low-quality trials, and none involved patients having major or major-complex procedures. Given these limitations, there is a great need to advance the quality and scope of research in this field. FUNDING The Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio F Fiore
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Division of Experimental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Steinberg-Bernstein Centre for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Innovation, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Charbel El-Kefraoui
- Division of Experimental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Steinberg-Bernstein Centre for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Innovation, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Philip Nguyen-Powanda
- Division of Experimental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Steinberg-Bernstein Centre for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Innovation, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Uyen Do
- Division of Experimental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Steinberg-Bernstein Centre for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Innovation, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ghadeer Olleik
- Division of Experimental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Steinberg-Bernstein Centre for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Innovation, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Fateme Rajabiyazdi
- Steinberg-Bernstein Centre for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Innovation, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Systems and Computer Engineering, Carleton University, ON, Canada
| | - Araz Kouyoumdjian
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Division of Experimental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Alexa Derksen
- Patient Representative, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tara Landry
- Medical Libraries, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Bibliothèque de la Santé, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Amy Bergeron
- Medical Libraries, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Agnihotram V Ramanakumar
- Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marc Martel
- Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Anaesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Lawrence Lee
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Division of Experimental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Steinberg-Bernstein Centre for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Innovation, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Gabriele Baldini
- Division of Experimental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Anaesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Liane S Feldman
- Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Division of Experimental Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Steinberg-Bernstein Centre for Minimally Invasive Surgery and Innovation, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada; Centre for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
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