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Research

Oral administration of morphine versus ibuprofen to manage postfracture pain in children: a randomized trial

Naveen Poonai, Gina Bhullar, Kangrui Lin, Adam Papini, David Mainprize, Jocelyn Howard, John Teefy, Michelle Bale, Cindy Langford, Rodrick Lim, Larry Stitt, Michael J. Rieder and Samina Ali
CMAJ December 09, 2014 186 (18) 1358-1363; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.140907
Naveen Poonai
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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  • For correspondence: naveen.poonai@lhsc.on.ca
Gina Bhullar
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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Kangrui Lin
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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Adam Papini
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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David Mainprize
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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Jocelyn Howard
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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John Teefy
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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Michelle Bale
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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Cindy Langford
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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Rodrick Lim
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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Larry Stitt
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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Michael J. Rieder
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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Samina Ali
Division of Emergency Medicine (Poonai, Bhullar, Lin, Papini, Mainprize, Howard, Teefy, Bale, Langford, Lim, Stitt), London Health Sciences Centre; Department of Paediatrics (Poonai, Lim), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University; and Department of Paediatrics (Rieder), Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario, London, Ont.; Department of Pediatrics (Ali), University of Alberta; and Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (Ali), Edmonton, Alta.
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Abstract

Background: Recent warnings from Health Canada regarding codeine for children have led to increased use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and morphine for common injuries such as fractures. Our objective was to determine whether morphine administered orally has superior efficacy to ibuprofen in fracture-related pain.

Methods: We used a parallel group, randomized, blinded superiority design. Children who presented to the emergency department with an uncomplicated extremity fracture were randomly assigned to receive either morphine (0.5 mg/kg orally) or ibuprofen (10 mg/kg) for 24 hours after discharge. Our primary outcome was the change in pain score using the Faces Pain Scale — Revised (FPS-R). Participants were asked to record pain scores immediately before and 30 minutes after receiving each dose.

Results: We analyzed data from 66 participants in the morphine group and 68 participants in the ibuprofen group. For both morphine and ibuprofen, we found a reduction in pain scores (mean pre–post difference ± standard deviation for dose 1: morphine 1.5 ± 1.2, ibuprofen 1.3 ± 1.0, between-group difference [δ] 0.2 [95% confidence interval (CI) −0.2 to 0.6]; dose 2: morphine 1.3 ± 1.3, ibuprofen 1.3 ± 0.9, δ 0 [95% CI −0.4 to 0.4]; dose 3: morphine 1.3 ± 1.4, ibuprofen 1.4 ± 1.1, δ −0.1 [95% CI −0.7 to 0.4]; and dose 4: morphine 1.5 ± 1.4, ibuprofen 1.1 ± 1.2, δ 0.4 [95% CI −0.2 to 1.1]). We found no significant differences in the change in pain scores between morphine and ibuprofen between groups at any of the 4 time points (p = 0.6). Participants in the morphine group had significantly more adverse effects than those in the ibuprofen group (56.1% v. 30.9%, p < 0.01).

Interpretation: We found no significant difference in analgesic efficacy between orally administered morphine and ibuprofen. However, morphine was associated with a significantly greater number of adverse effects. Our results suggest that ibuprofen remains safe and effective for outpatient pain management in children with uncomplicated fractures. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, no. NCT01690780.

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Canadian Medical Association Journal: 186 (18)
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Vol. 186, Issue 18
9 Dec 2014
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Oral administration of morphine versus ibuprofen to manage postfracture pain in children: a randomized trial
Naveen Poonai, Gina Bhullar, Kangrui Lin, Adam Papini, David Mainprize, Jocelyn Howard, John Teefy, Michelle Bale, Cindy Langford, Rodrick Lim, Larry Stitt, Michael J. Rieder, Samina Ali
CMAJ Dec 2014, 186 (18) 1358-1363; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.140907

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Oral administration of morphine versus ibuprofen to manage postfracture pain in children: a randomized trial
Naveen Poonai, Gina Bhullar, Kangrui Lin, Adam Papini, David Mainprize, Jocelyn Howard, John Teefy, Michelle Bale, Cindy Langford, Rodrick Lim, Larry Stitt, Michael J. Rieder, Samina Ali
CMAJ Dec 2014, 186 (18) 1358-1363; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.140907
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