Randomised comparison of intravenous paracetamol and intravenous morphine for acute traumatic limb pain in the emergency department. Issue 1 (1st March 2011)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Craig, Michelle; Jeavons, Richard; Probert, Joanne; Benger, Jonathan
• Is Part Of: Emergency medicine journal. Volume 29:Issue 1(2012)
• Page Start: 37
• Page End: 39
• Publication Date: 2011-03-01
• Subjects: Analgesia/pain control -- emergency care systems -- emergency departments -- musculo-skeletal -- fractures and dislocations -- Trauma -- extremity; Emergency medicine -- Periodicals; 616.02505
• DOI: 10.1136/emj.2010.104687
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1472-0205

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: To compare the clinical effectiveness of intravenous paracetamol with intravenous morphine in patients with moderate to severe traumatic limb pain. Methods: This randomised, double-blind pilot study was conducted in an urban UK emergency department. Patients between 16 and 65 years old with isolated limb trauma and in moderate to severe pain (pain score of 7 or more) received either 1 g intravenous paracetamol or 10 mg intravenous morphine sulphate over 15 min. The primary outcome measure was pain score measured on a visual analogue scale at 0, 5, 15, 30 and 60 min after commencing drug administration. The requirement for rescue analgesia and the frequency of adverse reactions were also recorded. Results: 55 patients were recruited over 10 months. There was no significant difference in analgesic effect between the paracetamol and morphine groups at any time interval. There was no significant difference in the rescue analgesia administered, but there were significantly more adverse reactions in the morphine group. Conclusion: Intravenous paracetamol appears to provide a level of analgesia comparable to intravenous morphine in isolated limb trauma. Further larger studies are required.