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Driving functions in a video simulator in chronic non-malignant pain patients using and not using codeine
Halvard K Nilsen1, Nils I Landrø, Stein Kaasa
1Pain and Palliation Research Group, Institute of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. halvardnilsen@yahoo.no
European Journal of Pain (London, England)
|October 16, 2010
Summary
Codeine does not impair driving skills in chronic pain patients. Chronic pain itself, not codeine use, significantly slows reaction times and increases missed traffic sign reactions in drivers.
Area of Science:
- Pain Management
- Pharmacology
- Human Factors in Driving
Background:
- Chronic pain affects many Europeans, with a notable percentage using weak opioids like codeine.
- There's a clinical impression that many chronic pain patients drive or wish to drive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of codeine on driving ability using a simulator.
- To determine if chronic pain itself impairs driving functions.
Main Methods:
- A driving simulator study compared 20 chronic pain patients on codeine with 20 chronic pain patients not on codeine.
- Both groups were compared to 20 healthy controls, measuring reaction time and missed reactions.
Main Results:
- Codeine users and non-users with chronic pain exhibited similar driving skills.
- Chronic pain patients, regardless of codeine use, had slower reaction times and missed more traffic signs than healthy controls.
- No significant differences in steering precision were observed between groups.
Conclusions:
- Codeine does not appear to impair driving abilities beyond the effects of chronic pain itself.
- Chronic pain is a significant factor affecting driving performance, independent of codeine medication.
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