This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of very early preemptive
meloxicam, early preemptive
meloxicam, and postoperative
meloxicam administration for
postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery (AKS). Three hundred and six patients about to receive AKS were consecutively enrolled in this randomized, controlled study and randomly allocated into three groups: very early
analgesia (VEA) group, early
analgesia (EA) group, and postoperative
analgesia (PA) group.
Pain visual analog scale (VAS) score at rest and at flexion, patient global assessment (
PGA) score, consumption of rescue
pethidine, and adverse events (AEs) were assessed.
Pain VAS score and severity at rest/flexion were all decreased in the VEA group compared with EA group and PA group at 4 h post-operation and were also reduced in the VEA and EA groups compared with the PA group at 8 h and 12 h post-operation.
PGA score was lower in the VEA group compared with the EA group and PA group at 4 h post-operation, and was attenuated in the VEA group and the EA group compared with the PA group at 8 h, 12 h, and 24 h post-operation as well. Consumption of rescue
pethidine was less in the VEA group than that in the PA group. In addition, no difference in the incidence of AEs was found among the VEA, EA, and PA groups. In conclusion, preemptive
meloxicam is more effective in
postoperative pain control and equally tolerated compared with postoperative
meloxicam in patients receiving AKS.