Rectal acetaminophen does not reduce morphine consumption after major surgery in young infants.
BACKGROUND
The safety and value of acetaminophen (paracetamol) in addition to continuous morphine infusion has never been studied in newborns and young infants. We investigated the addition of acetaminophen to evaluate whether it decreased morphine consumption in this age group after major thoracic (non-cardiac) or abdominal surgery.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial was performed in 71 patients given either acetaminophen 90-100 mg kg(-1) day(-1)or placebo rectally, in addition to a morphine loading dose of 100 microg kg(-1) and 5-10 microg kg(-1) h(-1) continuous infusion. Analgesic efficacy was assessed using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and COMFORT scores. Extra morphine was administered if VAS was > or = 4.


RESULTS
We analysed data of 54 patients, of whom 29 received acetaminophen and 25 received placebo. Median (25-75th percentile) age was 0 (0-2) months. Additional morphine bolus requirements and increases in continuous morphine infusion were similar in both groups (P = 0.366 and P = 0.06, respectively). There was no significant difference in total morphine consumption, respectively, 7.91 (6.59-14.02) and 7.19 (5.45-12.06) mug kg(-1) h(-1) for the acetaminophen and placebo group (P = 0.60). COMFORT [median (25-75th percentile) acetaminophen 10 (9-12) and placebo 11 (9-13)] and VAS [median (25-75th percentile) acetaminophen 0.0 (0.0-0.2) and placebo 0.0 (0.0-0.3)] scores did not differ between acetaminophen and placebo group (P = 0.06 and P = 0.73, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Acetaminophen, as an adjuvant to continuous morphine infusion, does not have an additional analgesic effect and should not be considered as standard of care in young infants, 0-2 months of age, after major thoracic (non-cardiac) or abdominal surgery.
van der Marel
C D
CD
Department of Paediatric Surgery, ErasmusMC Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. cdvandermarel@hotmail.com
Peters
J W B
JW
Bouwmeester
N J
NJ
Jacqz-Aigrain
E
E
van den Anker
J N
JN
Tibboel
D
D
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D000285:Administration, Rectal; D000465:Algorithms; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019616:Thoracic Surgical Procedures
D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000082:Acetaminophen; D009020:Morphine