MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from the acute pain service during
patient-controlled analgesia were evaluated. Quantitative data regarding
opioid consumption and typical
opioid side effects as well as qualitative results of patient satisfaction were recorded and evaluated for the respective specialist disciplines.
RESULTS: Between 1 April 2005 and 31 August 2007 (35 months) 2,231 patients were treated with
piritramide PCIA (PPCIA) and between 1 September 2007 and 31 December 2012 (64 months) 4,714 patients were treated with
oxycodone PCIA (OPCIA). Patient satisfaction: overall, patients in both groups rated PCIA as very good or good with a higher percentage (98.9 %) in the
oxycodone group than in the
piritramide group (96.7 %) and 0.3 % of patients were only moderately satisfied or dissatisfied with the
therapy. Typical side effects of
opioids: the rate of side effects in the
oxycodone group (6.7 %) was approximately 50 % lower compared with the
piritramide treatment group (12.7 %).
Nausea: with approximately 4 % in the
piritramide group across all 4 specialties the incidence of
nausea was markedly higher in the
piritramide group than in the
oxycodone group; however, this difference was statistically significant only for general and
orthopedic surgery.
Vomiting:
vomiting was reported in about 6 % (mean) for PPCIA and significantly less frequently in 2 % (mean) for OPCIA.
Fatigue and
somnolence: these two side effects typically seen with
opioid PCIA occurred only very rarely in a total of 1 % of all patients. In the PPCIA group the incidence was 1 % as directly compared to the significantly lower incidence of 0.6 % in the OPCIA group.
CONCLUSION: