title: Ease-of-care from the physical therapists' perspective comparing fentanyl iontophoretic transdermal system versus morphine intravenous patient-controlled analgesia in postoperative pain management.
abstract: To compare the ease-of-care (EOC) examining time efficiency, convenience and satisfaction of fentanyl iontophoretic transdermal system ([ITS] IONSYS®) and morphine intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (iv. PCA) in postoperative pain management using a validated physical therapist (PT) EOC questionnaire.
  
  
  
  This meta-analysis assessed EOC of fentanyl ITS versus morphine iv. PCA using data from two randomized, active-comparator studies (fentanyl ITS: n = 720 and morphine iv. PCA: n = 739) which used the PT EOC questionnaire (22 items grouped into three subscales; time efficiency, convenience and satisfaction). Each item was scored on a 6-point Likert scale. For time efficiency, PT whose average scores were ≤2 on all items of the time efficiency and convenience subscales or ≥4 on both satisfaction items were considered responders.
  
  
  
  There were EOC questionnaires from 264 (fentanyl ITS) and 254 (morphine iv. PCA) PTs. There were significantly greater proportions of PTs classified as responders for fentanyl ITS than morphine iv. PCA for overall EOC (81.0 vs 55.7%, respectively), time efficiency (83.1 vs 59.5%, respectively), convenience (87.4 vs 72.0%, respectively) and satisfaction (51.9 vs 30.0%, respectively), all p < 0.0001.
  
  
  
  In this meta-analysis, fentanyl ITS is associated with a superior EOC profile (overall, time efficiency, convenience and satisfaction) from the PTs' perspective when compared with morphine iv. PCA.
authors.affiliation: Beaumont Health System, Troy, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Craig T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Hartrick
authors.affiliation: The Medicines Company, Parsippany, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.affiliation: The Medicines Company, Parsippany, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D059825:Physical Therapists; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009020:Morphine; D005283:Fentanyl
keywords: analgesia; analgesics; attitude of health personnel; ease-of-care; fentanyl; iontophoresis; morphine; opioid; pain; patient-controlled; physical therapists; postoperative; questionnaires; treatment outcome