Sufentanil is not superior to morphine for the treatment of acute traumatic pain in an emergency setting: a randomized, double-blind, out-of-hospital trial.
OBJECTIVE
We determine the best intravenous opioid titration protocol by comparing morphine and sufentanil for adult patients with severe traumatic acute pain in an out-of-hospital setting, with a physician providing care.


METHODS
In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, patients were eligible for inclusion if aged 18 years or older, with acute severe pain (defined as a numeric rating scale score ≥ 6/10) caused by trauma. They were assigned to receive either intravenous 0.15 μg/kg sufentanil, followed by 0.075 μg/kg every 3 minutes or intravenous 0.15 mg/kg morphine and then 0.075 mg/kg. The primary endpoint of the study was pain relief at 15 minutes, defined as a numeric rating scale less than or equal to 3 of 10. Secondary endpoints were time to analgesia, adverse events, and duration of analgesia during the first 6 hours.


RESULTS
A total of 108 patients were included, 54 in each group. At 15 minutes, 74% of the patients in the sufentanil group had a numeric rating scale score of 3 or lower versus 70% of those in the morphine group (Δ4%; 95% confidence interval -13% to 21%). At 9 minutes, 65% of the patients in the sufentanil group experienced pain relief versus 46% of those in the morphine group (Δ18%; 95% confidence interval 0.1% to 35%). The duration of analgesia was in favor of the morphine group. Nineteen percent of patients experienced an adverse event in both groups, all mild to moderate.


CONCLUSIONS
Intravenous morphine titration using a loading dose of morphine followed by strictly administered lower doses at regular intervals remains the criterion standard. Moreover, this study supports the idea that the doses studied should be considered for routine administration in severe pain protocols.
Bounes
Vincent
V
Pôle de Médecine d'Urgences, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France. bounes.v@chu-toulouse.fr
Barthélémy
Romain
R
Diez
Olivier
O
Charpentier
Sandrine
S
Montastruc
Jean Louis
JL
Ducassé
Jean Louis
JL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017409:Sufentanil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*
D009020:Morphine; D017409:Sufentanil