Acetaminophen in the management of background pain in children post-burn

• Published in: Journal of pain and symptom management 1997, Vol.13 (1), p.50-55
• Main Authors: Meyer, Walter J., Nichols, Ray J., Cortiella, Joaquin, Villarreal, Cynthia, Marvin, Janet A., Blakeney, Patricia E., Herndon, David N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetaminophen; Acetaminophen - therapeutic use; adolescents; Analgesics; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic - therapeutic use; background pain; Biological and medical sciences; burn; Burns - complications; Child; Child, Preschool; children; Humans; Medical sciences; morphine; Neuropharmacology; Pain - drug therapy; Pain - etiology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Retrospective Studies
• ISSN: 0885-3924; 1873-6513
• DOI: 10.1016/S0885-3924(96)00201-1

This retrospective review evaluated the pain management of 395 acutely burnted pediatric patients who were treated by a pain management protocol emphasizing acetaminophen as the initial medication to control background pain. Pain was assessed by using standardized instruments based an observations by patients, nurses, and parents. Morphine was added when scheduled acetaminophen (10–15 mg/kg/4 hr) did not control background pain. Fifty percent of the children received only acetaminophen to control background pain. Younger children and children with the smallest burns, regardless of age, were likely to he managed with acetaminophen alone. Most peak serum concentrations of acetaminophen were less than 10 μg/ml. Wien needed, children also received medication for painful procedures, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. These additional medications were not more frequently given to children receiving only acetaminophen for background pain. These data suggest that acetaminophen is a safe, is a safe, useful medication for the control of post-burn background pain in some children.