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. 2022 Aug 1;36(8):326-331.
doi: 10.1097/BOT.0000000000002346. Epub 2022 Jan 6.

Effect of a Multimodal Analgesic Protocol on Short-Term and Long-Term Opioid Use After Orthopaedic Trauma

Douglas R Oyler  1 , Emily Slade  2 , Svetla Slavova  2   3 , Paul E Matuszewski  4 , Feitong Lei  2 , Brooke Herndon  1 , Shannon Johnson  4 , Eric S Moghadamian  4
Affiliations

Effect of a Multimodal Analgesic Protocol on Short-Term and Long-Term Opioid Use After Orthopaedic Trauma

Douglas R Oyler et al. J Orthop Trauma. .

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether the use of a multimodal analgesic protocol reduced short-term and long-term opioid use in patients hospitalized after orthopaedic trauma.

Design: Retrospective pre-post intervention study.

Setting: Regional, academic, Level 1 trauma center in Central Kentucky.

Patients/participants: Patients were hospitalized after orthopaedic injury before (n = 393) and after (n = 378) the implementation of a multimodal analgesic protocol.

Intervention: The intervention involved a multimodal analgesic protocol consisting of acetaminophen, ibuprofen/ketorolac, gabapentinoids, skeletal muscle relaxants, and standardized doses of opioids plus standardized pain management education before hospital discharge.

Main outcome measurements: End points included discharge opioid prescription, days' supply and daily morphine milligram equivalent (MME), and long-term opioid use after hospitalization. Opioid use in the 90 days before and after hospitalization was assessed using state prescription drug monitoring program data.

Results: Discharge opioid prescription rates were similar in the intervention and control cohorts [79.9% vs. 78.4%, odds ratio (OR) 1.30 (0.83-2.03), P = 0.256]. Patients in the intervention cohort received a shorter days' supply [5.7 ± 4.1 days vs. 8.1 ± 6.2 days, rate ratio 0.70 (0.65-0.76), P < 0.001] and lower average daily MME [34.8 ± 24.9 MME vs. 51.5 ± 44.0 MME, rate ratio 0.68 (0.62-0.75), P < 0.001]. The incidence of long-term opioid use was also significantly lower in the intervention cohort [7.7% vs. 12.0%, OR 0.53 (0.28-0.98), P = 0.044].

Conclusions: Implementation of a multimodal analgesic protocol was associated with reductions in both short-term and long-term opioid use, including long-term opioid therapy, after orthopaedic trauma.

Level of evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

References

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