Table 3.
Descriptive Statistics of Items from the International Pain Outcomes Questionnaire
| Baseline Characteristics | Control Group | DEX Group | DEM Group | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postoperative day 2 Pain Outcomes Questionnaire score | ||||
| Intensity | ||||
| Worst pain a | 6.2 (4.8,7.2) | 6.5 (5.0,7.8) | 7.0 (5.7,9) | 0.183 |
| Percent time in severe pain b | 35 [20,40]{10,80} | 20 [10,30]{10,50} | 20 [10,40]{10,60} | 0.461 |
| Percent pain relief b | 70 [30,50]{5,80} | 90 [55,30]{10,90} | 90 [70,90]{50,90} | 0.857 |
| With activities in bed a | 0 [0,3]{0,7} | 1 [0,4]{0,6} | 0 [0,2]{0,5} | 0.518 |
| With breathing/coughing a | 0 [0,0]{0,4} | 1 [0,2]{0,6} | 0 [0,0]{0,1} | 0.619 |
| With sleep a | 0 [0,3]{0,7} | 1 [0,4]{0,8} | 0 [0,3]{0,8} | 0.418 |
| Effect on emotions | ||||
| Anxiety a | 0 [0,4]{0,6} | 0 [0,3]{0,9} | 0 [0,1]{0,8} | 0.241 |
| Helplessness a | 0 [0,3]{0,9} | 0 [0,2]{0,4} | 0 [0,1]{0,5} | 0.266 |
| Side effects | ||||
| Respiratory depression | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Acute urinary retention | 0 | 1 (3.3%) | 0 | 1 |
| Nausea a | 2 [0,4]{0,9} | 0 [0,2]{0,4} | 0 [0,3]{0,8} | 0.167 |
| Vomiting | 6 (20%) | 2 (6.6%) | 3 (10%) | 0.366 |
| Drowsiness a | 0 [0,2]{0,8} | 0 [0,1.5]{0,4} | 0 [0,2]{0,3} | 0.710 |
| Itching a | 0 [0,0]{0,1} | 0 [0,0]{0,0} | 0 [0,0]{0,0} | 0.445 |
| Dizziness a | 0 [0,5]{0,9} | 0 [0,2]{0,5} | 0 [0,2]{0,3} | 0.765 |
| Allowed to participate in decision about pain treatment as much as desired | ||||
| 15 (50%) | 16 (53.3%) | 16 (53.3%) | 1 | |
| Desire for more treatment | 12 (40%) | 5 (16.7%)* | 4 (13.3%)* | 0.042 |
| Overall satisfaction with pain management a | 9 [7,9]{7,10} | 9 [8,10]{5,10} | 9 [9,10]{6,10} | 0.677 |
| Satisfied with results of pain treatment 0–24 h a | 9 [8.5,10]{7,10} | 10 [9.5,10]{9,10}* | 10 [9,10]{7,10} | 0.036 |
| Satisfied with results of pain treatment 24–48 h a | 9 [8,9]{7,10} | 9 [9,10]{5,10} | 10 [8,10]{6,10} | 0.061 |
| Patients reporting chronic pain and receipt of opioids before admission to hospital | ||||
| How severe was the chronic pain most of the time? | ||||
| 4.8 (3.1,8.4) | 5.0 (3.0,7.1) | 5.2 (3.3,7.2) | 0.819 | |
| Worst pain after surgery | 7.5 (5.5,7.7) | 5.8 (4.4,6.5) | 6.2 (4.1,7.0) | 0.236 |
| Patients with no report chronic pain and no receipt of opioids before admission to hospital | ||||
| Worst pain after surgery | 5.2 (4.0,7.4) | 5.5 (4.0,6.6) | 5.8 (3.8,7.1) | 0.752 |
| Postoperative neurologic symptoms§ | ||||
| 2 weeks postoperative | 4 (13.3%) | 8 (26.7%) | 6 (20%) | 0.429 |
Notes: Data are expressed as the median [IQR]{range}, mean (95% CI), or count (percent). aAssessed using a 0–10 numerical rating scale scale. bAssessed using a percentage scale. *Statistically significant different compared to the Control group. §The postoperative neurologic symptoms include any one or more cases of transient or persistent numbness or paresthesia anywhere in the surgical limb, or pain or weakness in the foot or ankle.
Abbreviations: DEX, dexamethasone; DEM, dexmedetomidine; 95% CI, 95% confidence interval; AUC, area under the curve.