title: Dose-dependency of intra-articular morphine analgesia.
abstract: We have examined if the analgesic effects of intra-articular morphine are dose-dependent in patients undergoing elective arthroscopic knee surgery. At the end of surgery, patients were allocated randomly to one of four groups to receive intra-articular saline (n = 22), or morphine 1 mg (n = 24), 2 mg (n = 21) or 4 mg (n = 19). After operation, patients remained in hospital overnight and pain intensity was assessed using a visual analogue scale at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 h after intra-articular injection. Patients requesting additional analgesia received a loading dose of piritramide 0.1 mg kg-1 i.v. and were connected to a PCA device using the same drug. Increasing doses of intra-articular morphine were associated with greater analgesic effects and less supplementary analgesic requirements.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Anaesthesiologie und Intensivmedizin, Landeskrankenanstalten Klagenfurt, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Likar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kapral
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Steinkellner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schäfer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001182:Arthroscopy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009020:Morphine