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Published on: April 9, 2019
Risks and side-effects of intrathecal morphine combined with spinal anaesthesia: a meta-analysis
1Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, Klinikum Kassel, Kassel, Germany. gehling@klinikum-kassel.de
Anaesthesia
|May 23, 2009
Summary
Intrathecal morphine provides postoperative pain relief but can increase side effects like nausea and itching. Lower doses (<0.3 mg) showed no increased respiratory depression compared to placebo.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pharmacology
- Pain Management
Background:
- Intrathecal morphine is a common analgesic after surgery.
- Understanding its side effect profile is crucial for patient safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To meta-analyze the frequency of side effects associated with intrathecal morphine.
- To compare outcomes between different morphine doses and placebo.
Main Methods:
- Meta-analysis of 28 studies involving 790 patients receiving intrathecal morphine and 524 controls.
- Analysis clustered by morphine dose: <0.3 mg and >=0.3 mg versus placebo.
Main Results:
- Lower morphine doses increased nausea, vomiting, and pruritus compared to placebo.
- Higher doses significantly increased pruritus but not nausea or vomiting.
- Overall, intrathecal morphine did not increase respiratory depression; however, higher doses showed a trend towards more events.
Conclusions:
- Intrathecal morphine is associated with a mild increase in side effects.
- Doses below 0.3 mg did not elevate respiratory depression risk compared to placebo patients receiving systemic opioids.
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