title: Pediatric patient-controlled analgesia with morphine versus meperidine.
abstract: To assess prospectively any difference in either analgesia or side effect frequency with morphine versus meperidine, 50 patients, ages 8-16 years, were randomly assigned to receive postoperative patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with either morphine or meperidine. A numerical rating scale pain score was obtained from each patient twice a day, and any nausea, vomiting, pruritus, or urinary retention requiring catheterization was noted. No significant difference in the incidence of side effects was noted between the morphine and meperidine groups; however, pain scores during morphine PCA were significantly less than those during meperidine PCA (P less than 0.001). These results suggest that morphine is the better opioid for pediatric PCA.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Vetter
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled / Q000592:standards*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009020:Morphine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D009020:Morphine; D008614:Meperidine