Continuous papaveretum infusion for the control of pain in painful sickling crisis

Judging the effectiveness of analgesia for children and adolescents during vaso-occlusive events of sickle cell disease

The effectiveness of analgesia during sickle cell crisis was examined in this descriptive, exploratory study. Pain scores (using the African-American Oucher and the Adolescent Pediatric Pain Tool) and analgesics administered were examined during a 2-hour observation/interview in the hospital while children/adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) experienced a vaso-occlusive episode (VOE). A convenience sample of twenty-one 6- to 16-year olds with SCD was included. Evidence indicated that 15 of the 21 children in the sample were in moderate to severe pain during their interviews, indicating that the analgesics did not effectively control their pain. Most participants (17) had received nalbuphine as the primary analgesic by intravenous infusion drip and/or patient-controlled analgesia pump. Many reasons were identified for the inadequate analgesia. The results suggested that the pain of SCD is very complex, requiring continuous adjustment of comfort measures, especially analgesics. More research is needed to examine pain control in children with SCD.

A review of evidence about factors affecting quality of pain management in sickle cell disease

OBJECTIVE

To assess the evidence for pharmacological, behavioural, and interpersonal influences on quality of pain management in sickle cell disease.

DATA SOURCES

English-language reports from the research literature up to 1995, identified using Medline, Psychlit, and the Bath Information Data Service.

STUDY SELECTION

Studies are reviewed that (a) reported quantitative clinical outcomes for particular analgesic methods used to treat painful episodes or (b) provide data on patient factors, interpersonal treatment factors, or levels of drug dependence in relation to pain management in sickle cell disease.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Findings vary on the effectiveness of longer-acting opiates, patient-controlled or continuously infused analgesia, and behavioural analgesic techniques, with better results for trials where interpersonal aspects of pain management were also addressed. Risks for poorer pain management are greatest for patients in adverse social circumstances, who are more severely affected by painful episodes and who are poorly adjusted and have less effective personal strategies for coping with pain, but the limited evidence on drug dependence indicates very low levels by comparison with risk and exposure factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Analgesic methods and approaches should continue to be developed and evaluated, but conflicting perceptions between patients and staff about pain that is reported and analgesia that is required probably contribute most to poor pain management in sickle cell disease. Promising areas for future research include the assessment of patients' everyday pain coping styles and patterns of drug use in relation to their hospital experiences of pain management, and the evaluation of psychological interventions to improve patients' styles and strategies for coping with pain.

Intravenous morphine pharmacokinetics in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease

To examine the pharmacokinetics of parenteral opioids, such as morphine, in patients with sickle cell disease, we determined the plasma morphine clearances in 18 patients (aged 6 to 19 years) who were receiving continuous intravenous infusions, and the pharmacokinetics of morphine in an additional six patients after single intravenous doses. Plasma morphine clearances ranged from 6.2 to 59.1 ml min-1 kg-1 (35.5 +/- 12.4, mean +/- SD) during steady-state infusions. There was a negative correlation between clearance values and age over the age range studied (p = 0.013). A significant difference (p = 0.042) was also observed in clearance values between patients who had serious adverse symptoms (23.4 +/- 10.7 ml min-1 kg-1) and those who had less serious symptoms (36.3 +/- 6.4 ml min-1 kg-1) when morphine was given at high dosage rates (> or = 0.15 mg kg-1 hr-1). Pharmacokinetic modeling of plasma morphine concentrations adequately fit a two-compartment model with a short initial distribution phase (mean half-life = 4.5 minutes) and a rapid terminal elimination half-life (77.6 +/- 19.2 minutes). These findings suggest that considerable individualization of morphine dosing may be necessary to achieve optimal analgesia and minimal adverse effects in these patients.