Table 2.
Unadjusted outcomes of orthopedic surgery patients, comparing IV acetaminophen recipients to IV opioid monotherapy recipients
| Outcome | IV opioids (n = 311,090) | IV acetaminophen (n = 174,805) | Difference (95% CI) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of stay (days), mean (SD) | 3.9 (3.9) | 3.2 (2.6) | −0.66 (−0.68 to −0.64) | <0.0001 |
| Hospitalization cost ($), mean (SD) | 19,927.6 (19,578.8) | 19,024.9 (13,113.7) | −902.7 (−1005.4 to −800.0) | <0.0001 |
| Morphine equivalent dose (mg), mean (SD) | 43.8 (53.4) | 46.9 (44.5) | 3.1 (2.8 to 3.4) | <0.0001 |
| Opioid-related AEs, ORa (95% CI) | ||||
| Urinary tract infection | 0.596 (0.56 to 0.63) | <0.0001 | ||
| Respiratory depression | 0.518 (0.50 to 0.54) | <0.0001 | ||
| Surgery site infection | 0.754 (0.71 to 0.80) | <0.0001 | ||
| Bowel obstruction | 1.013 (0.99 to 1.04) | 0.4 | ||
| Nausea/vomiting | 1.208 (1.16 to 1.26) | <0.0001 | ||
AE adverse event, CI confidence interval, OR odds ratio, IV intravenous, SD standard deviation
aIV opioid monotherapy is the reference group