Table 3.
Baseline Pain Characteristics of the Patients in the Four Prescription Groups
| Characteristic | No Opioid n = 19 |
Only PRN Opioid n = 72 |
Only ATC Opioid n = 32 |
ATC + PRN Opioid n = 50 |
Statistic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | ||
| Pain now | 2.9 (2.0) | 3.5 (21.) | 4.1 (2.3) | 3.6 (2.3) | F(3,158)=1.3, P=0.29 |
| Average pain | 3.7 (1.6) | 4.1 (1.7) | 4.5 (1.8) | 4.2 (1.8) | F(3,159)=0.8, P =0.50 |
| Worst pain | 5.9 (2.2) | 6.4 (2.3) | 7.2 (2.2) | 7.1 (2.1) | F(3,160)=2.0, P =0.12 |
| Total pain interference score | 3.3 (2.2) | 4.4 (2.0) | 4.9 (2.4) | 5.4 (2.1) | F(3,168)=5.1, P =0.002 |
| % pain relief in the past week | 50.0 (30.1) | 71.5 (19.2) | 67.2 (20.0) | 63.5 (25.0) | F(3,157)=4.0, P =0.009 |
| Total dose of opioid prescribed (mg/day in morphine equivalents) |
59.7 (51.6) | 99.5 (83.8) | 443.9 (453.3) | F(2,150)=33.6, P <0.0001 |
|
| Total dose of opioid taken (mg/day in morphine equivalents) |
15.4 (20.7) | 75.8 (74.2) | 264.3 (358.8) | F(2,150)=21.4, P <0.0001 |
|
| % | % | % | % | ||
| Length of time in pain | |||||
| < 1 week | 5.3 | 2.9 | 0.0 | 2.0 | |
| 1 to 2 weeks | 5.3 | 1.4 | 3.3 | 6.0 | |
| About 1 month | 5.3 | 2.9 | 6.7 | 4.0 | X2=7.3, P =0.95 |
| 2 to 6 months | 31.6 | 33.3 | 40.0 | 26.0 | |
| 7 months to 1 year | 26.3 | 20.3 | 13.3 | 24.0 | |
| > 1 year | 26.3 | 39.1 | 36.7 | 38.0 | |
| Patients on NSAIDs | 18.5 | 50.6 | 13.6 | 17.3 | X2=19.9, P <0.0001 |
| Patients on co-analgesics | 10.0 | 33.3 | 13.3 | 43.3 | X2=3.8, P =0.29 |
ATC = around-the-clock; mg = milligrams; NSAIDs = nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; PRN = pro re nata; SD = standard deviation.
Post hoc contrasts:
Total pain interference score – no opioid < ATC + PRN (P =0.002).
% pain relief in the past week – no opioid < only PRN (P =0.008).
Total dose of opioid prescribed – only PRN and only ATC < ATC + PRN (both P <0.0001).
Total dose of opioid taken – only PRN and only ATC < ATC + PRN (both P <0.0001).
Patient on NSAIDs – only ATC < no opioid (P =0.002); ATC + PRN < only PRN and no opioid (both P ≤ 0.002).