Intraveinous paracetamol: a review of efficacy and safety in therapeutic use

[en] Paracetamol is well established as a leading nonprescription antipyretic analgesic drug and is available in oral, rectal or intravenous forms. However, except for oral paracetamol, there is a marked discrepancy between the extent to which paracetamol is used and the available evidence for an analgesic effect in postoperative pain. This review mainly focuses on intravenous paracetamol. Its efficacy and safety are analyzed, as well as its use in therapeutics, alone or in combination. The morphine-sparing, additive and antihyperalgesia effects of intravenous paracetamol are also reviewed. The analyses are divided into several sections, comparing the efficacy of intravenous paracetamol with placebo, other forms of paracetamol or analgesic agents and analyzing its efficacy in multimodal therapy combined with NSAIDs or a morphinic agent.

Disciplines :

General & internal medicine

Author, co-author :

Malaise, Olivier ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Cert.ECG

Bruyère, Olivier ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Epidémiologie et santé publique - Département des sciences de la santé publique

Reginster, Jean-Yves ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Epidémiologie et santé publique

Language :

English

Title :

Intraveinous paracetamol: a review of efficacy and safety in therapeutic use

Publication date :

2007

Journal title :

Future Neurology

ISSN :

1479-6708

eISSN :

1748-6971

Publisher :

Future Medicine Ltd

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

673-688

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 03 September 2009

Statistics

Number of views

237 (12 by ULiège)

Number of downloads

12 (3 by ULiège)

More statistics

Scopus citations^®

Scopus citations^®
without self-citations

OpenCitations

Bibliography

Bonnefont J, Courade JP, Alloui A, Eschalier A: Antinociceptive mechanism of action of paracetamol. Drugs 63 (Spec. No. 2), 1-4 (2003).
Prescott LF: New perspectives on paracetamoll. Drugs 63 (Spec. No. 2), 51-56 (2003).
Clissold SP: Paracetamol and phenacetin. Drugs 32 (Suppl. 4), 46-59 (1986).
Graham GG, Scott KF: Mechanism of action of paracetamol. Am. J. Ther. 12(1), 46-55 (2005).
Ishida T, Sato T, Irifune M, Tanaka KI, Nakamura N, Nishikawa T: Effect of acetaminophen, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, on Morris water maze task performance in mice. J. Psychopharmacol. 21(7), 757-767 (2007).
Dani M, Guindon J, Lwdx!rt C, Beaulieu P: The local antinociceptive effects of paracetamol in neuropathic pain are mediated by cannabinoid receptors. Eur. J. Pharmacol. (Epub ahead of print) (2007).
Godfrey L, Bailey I, Toms NJ, Clarke GD, Kitchen I, Hourani SM: Paracetamol inhibits nitric oxide synthesis in murine spinal cord slices. Eur. J. Pharmacol. 562(1-2), 68-71 (2007).
Murat I, Baujard C, Foussat C et al.: Tolerance and analgesic efficacy of a new i.v. paracetamol solution in children after inguinal hernia repair. Paediatr. Anaesth. 15(8), 663-670 (2005).
Grattan T, Hickman R. Darby-Dowman A, Hayward M, Boyce M, Warrington S: A five way crossover human volunteer study to compare the pharmacokinetics of paracetamol following oral administration of two commercially available paracetamol tablets and three development tablets containing paracetamol in combination with sodium bicarbonate or calcium carbonate. Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. 49 (3), 225-259 (2000).
Rygnestad T, Zahlsen K, Samdal FA: Absorption of effervescent paracetamol tablets relative to ordinary paracetamol tablets in healthy volunteers. Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 56(2), 141-143 (2000).
Sahajwalla CG, Ayres JW: Multiple-dose acetaminophen pharmacokinetics. J. Pharm. Sci. 80(9), 855-860 (1991).
Raffa RB, Clark-Vetri R, Tallarida RJ, Wertheimer AI: Combination strategies for pain management. Expert Opin. Pharmacother. 4(10), 1697-1708 (2003).
Rosenquist RW, Rosenberg J: Postoperative pain guidelines. Reg. Anesth. Pain Med. 28(4), 279-288 (2003).
Tong D, Chung F: Postoperative pain control in ambulatory surgery. Surg. Clin. North Am. 79(2), 401-430 (1999).
Holmer Pettersson P. Owall A, Jakobsson J: Early bioavailability of paracetamol after oral or intravenous administration. Acta Anaesthesiol. Scand. 48(7), 867-870 (2004).
Birmingham PK, Tobin MJ, Fisher DM, Henthorn TK, Hall SC, Cote CJ: Initial and subsequent dosing of rectal acetaminophen in children: a 24-hour pharmacokinetic study of new dose recommendations. Anesthesiology 94(3), 385-389 (2001).
Anderson BJ, Woolard GA. Holford NH: Pharmacokineties of rectal paracetamol after major surgery in children. Paediatr. Anaesth. 5(4), 237-242 (1995).
Anderson BJ. Holford NH, Woollard GA, Kanagasundaram S, Mahadevan M: Perioperative pharmacodynamics of acetaminophen analgesia in children. Anesthesiology 90(2), 411-421 (1999).
Birmingham PK, Tobin MJ, Henthorn TK et al.: Twenty-four-hour pharmacokinetics of rectal acetaminophen in children: an old drug with new recommendations. Anesthesiology87(2), 244-252 (1997).
Beck DH, Schenk MR. Hagemann K, Doepfmer UR, Kox WJ: The pharmacokinetics and analgesic efficacy of Larger dose rectal acetaminophen (40 mg/kg) in adults: a double-blinded, randomized study. Anesth. Analg. 90(2). 431-436 (2000).
Bannwarth B, Pehourcq F: Pharmacologic basis for using paracetamol: pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic issues. Drugs 63 (Spec. No. 2), 5-13 (2003).
Flouvat B, Leneveu A, Fitoussi S, Delhotal-Landes B, Gendron A: Bioequivalence study comparing a new paracetamol solution for injection and propacetamol after single intravenous infusion in healthy subjects. Int. J. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 42(1), 50-57 (2004).
Viel E, Langlade A, Osman M, Bilbault P, Eledjam JJ: Propacetamol: from basic action to clinical utilization. Ann. Fr. Anesth. Reanim. 18(3), 332-340 (1999).
Sinatra RS, Jahr JS, Reynolds LW, Viscusi ER, Groudine SB, Payen-Champenois C: Efficacy and safety of single and repeated administration of 1 gram intravenous acetaminophen injection (paracetamol) for pain management after major orthopedic surgery. Anesthesiology 102(4), 822-831 (2005).
Moller PL, Juhl GI, Payen-Champenois C, Skoglund LA: Intravenous acetaminophen (paracetamol): comparable analgesic efficacy, but better local safety than its prodrug, propacetamol, for postoperative pain after third molar surgery. Anesth. Analg. 101(1), 90-96 (2005).
Schmitt E, Vainchtock A. Nicoloyannis N, Locher F, Mosrobian X: Ready to use injectable paracetamol: easier, safer. lowering workload and cost. EJHP 6. 96-102 (2003).
Zhou TJ, Tang J, White PF: Propacetamol versus ketorolac for treatment of acute postoperative pain after total hip or knee replacement. Anesth. Analg. 92(6), 1569-1575 (2001).
Granry JC, Rod B, Monrigal JP et al.: The analgesic efficacy of an injectable prodrug of acetaminophen in children after orthopaedic surgery. Paediatr. Anaesth. 7(6), 445-459 (1997).
Romsing J, Moiniche S, Dahl JB: Rectal and parenteral paracetamol, and paracetamol in combination with NSAIDs, for postoperative analgesia. Br. J. Anaesth. 88(2), 215-226 (2002).
Moller PL, Sindet-Pedersen S, Petersen CT, Juhl GI, Dillenschneider A, Skoglund LA: Onset of acetaminophen analgesia: comparison of oral and intravenous routes after third molar surgery. Br. J. Anaesth. 94(5), 642-948 (2005).
Landwehr S, Kiencke P. Giesecke T, Eggert D. Thumann G, Kampe S: A comparison between IV paracetamol and IV metamizol for postoperative analgesia after retinal surgery. Curr. Med. Res. Opin. 21(10). 1569-1575 (2005).
Grundmann, U, Wornle C. Biedler A, Kreuer S, Wrobel M, Wilhelm W: The efficacy of the non-oploid.analgesics parecoxib, paracetamol arid metamizol for postoperative pain relief after lumbar microdiscectomy. Anesth. Analg. 103(1), 217-222 (2006).
Avellaneda C, Gomez A. Martos F, Rubio M, Sarmiento J. de la Cuesta FS: The effect of a single intravenous dose of metamizol 2 g, ketorolac 30 mg and propacetamol 1 g on haemodynamic parameters and postoperative pain after heart surgery. Eur. J. Anaesthesiol. 17(2), 85-90 (2000).
Mimoz O, Incagnoli P, Josse C et al.: Analgesic efficacy and safety of nefopam vs. propacetamol following hepatic resection. Anaesthesia 56(6), 520-525 (2001).
Aubrun F, Langeron O, Heitz D, Coriat P, Riou B: Randomised, placebo-controlled study of the postoperative analgesic effects of ketoprofen after spinal fusion surgery. Acta Anaesthesiol. Scand. 44(8), 934-939 (2000).
Siddik SM. Aouad MT, Jalbout MI, Rizk LB, Karnar GH, Baraka AS: Diclofenac and/or propacetamol for postoperative pain management after delivery in patients receiving patient controlled analgesia morphine. Reg. Anesth. Pain Med. 26 (4). 310-315 (2001).
Hiller A, Silvanto M, Savolainen S, Tarkkila P: Propacetamol and diclofenac alone and in combination for analgesia after elective tousillectomy. Acta Anaesthesiol. Scand. 48(9). 1185-1189 (2004).
Hynes D, McCarroll M, Hiesse-Provost O: Analgesic efficacy of parenteral paracetamol (propacetarnol) and diclofenac in post-operative orthopaedic pain. Acta Anaesthesiol. Scand. 50(3), 374-381 (2006).
Hoogewijs J. Diltoer MW. Hubloue I et al.: A prospective, open, single blind, randomized study comparing four analgesics in the treatment of peripheral injury in the emergency department. Eur. J. Emerg. Med. 7(2), 119-123 (2000).
Catapano MS: The analgesic efficacy of katorolac for acute pain. J. Emerg. Med. 14(1), 67-75 (1996).
Ranucci M, Cazzaniga A, Soro G. Isgro G, Rossi R. Pavesi M: Post-operative analgesia for early extubation after cardiac surgery. A prospective, randomized trial. Minerva Anestesiol, 65(12), 859-865 (1999).
Fourcade O, Sanchez P. Kern D. Mazoit JX, Minville V. Samii K: Propacetamol and ketoprofen after thyroidectomy, Eur. J. Anaesthesiol. 22(5), 373-377 (2005).
Boccara G, Chaumeron A, Pouseratte Y, Mann C: The preoperative administration of ketoprofen improves analgesia after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in comparison with propacetamol or postoperative ketoprofen. Br. J. Anaesth. 94(3), 347-351 (2005).
Van Lancker P. Vandekerckhove B, Cooman F: The analgesic effect of preoperative administration of propacetamol, tenoxicam or a mixture of both in athroscopic, outpatient knee surgery. Acta Anaesthesiol. Belg. 50(2). 65-69 (1999).
Beaussier M. Weickmans H, Paugam C. Lavazais S. Baechle JP. Goater P et al.: A randomized, double-blind comparison between parecoxib sodium and propacetamol for parenteral postoperative analgesia after inguinal hernia repair in adult patients. Anesth. Analg. 100(5), 1309-1315 (2005).
Dejonckheere M, Desjeux L, Deneu S, Ewanlenko P: Intravenous tramadol compared to propacetamol for postoperative analgesia following thyroidectomy. Acta Anaesthesiol. Belg. 52(1), 29-33 (2001).
Pendeville PE, Von Montigny S, Dort JP, Veyckemans F: Double-blind randomized study of tramadol vs. paracetamol in analgesia after day-case tonsillectomy in children. Eur. J. Anaesthesiol. 17(9), 576-582 (2000).
Van Aken H, Thys L, Veekman L, Buerkle H: Assessing analgesia in single and repeated administrations of propacetamol for postoperative pain: comparison with morphine after dental surgery. Anesth. Analg. 98(1), 159-165, table of contents (2004).
Rod B, Monrigal JP, Lepoittevin L, Granry JC, Cavellat M: Treatment of postoperative pain in children in the recovery room. Use of morphine and propacetamol by the intravenous route. Cah. Anesthesiol. 37(7), 525-530 (1989).
Curatolo M, Sveticic G: Drug combinations in pain treatment: a review of the published evidence and a method for finding the optimal combination. Best Pract. Res. Clin. Anaesthesiol. 6(4), 507-519 (2002).
Dahl V, Raeder JC: Non-opioid postoperative analgesia. Acta Anaesthesiol. Scand. 44(10), 1191-1203 (2000).
Romundstand L, Stubhaug A, Niemi G. Rosseland LA, Breivik H: Adding propacetamol to ketorolac increases the tolerance to painful. Eur. J. Pain 10(3), 177-1783 (2006).
Fletcher D, Negre I, Barbin C et al.: Postoperative analgesia with i.v. propacetamol and ketoprofen combination after disc surgery. Can. J. Anaesth. 44(5 Pt 1), 479-485 (1997).
Tauzin-Fin P, Delort-Laval S, Guenard Y, Krol-Houdek MC, Muscagorry JM, Maurette P: Comparative study of buprenorphine and its combination to ketoprofen or propacetamol for postoperative analgesia in urologic surgery. Ann. Fr. Anesth. Reanim. 15(1), 41-46 (1996).
Monrigal C, Jacob JP, Granry JC: Comparison of the analgesic efficacy of nalbuphine and its combination with propacetamol during the immediate postoperative period in gynecologic-obstetric surgery. Ann. Fr. Anesth. Reanim. 13(2), 153-157 (1994).
Delbos A. Boccard E: The morphine-sparing effect of propacetamol in orthopedic postoperative pain. J. Pain Symptom Manage. 10(4), 279-286 (1995).
Peduto VA, Ballabio M, Stefanini S: Efficacy of propacetamol in the treatment of postoperative pain. Morphine-sparing effect in orthopedic surgery. Italian Collaborative Group on Propacetamol. Acta Anaesthesiol. Scand. 42(3), 293-298 (1998).
Verchere E, Grenier B, Mesli A, Siao D, Sesay M, Maurette P: Postoperative pain management after supratentorial craniotomy. J. Neurosurg. Anesthesiol. 14(2), 96-101 (2002).
Ribeiro I, Nunes F, Ghira M: Evaluation of analgesia after cesarean section. Acta Med. Port. 14(4), 395-398 (2001).
Hernandez-Palazon J, Tortosa JA, Martinez-Lage JF, Perez-Flores D: Intravenous administration of propacetamol reduces morphine consumption after spinal fusion surgery. Anesth. Analg. 92(6), 1473-1476 (2001).
Varrassi G. Marinangeli F, Agro F et al.: A double-blinded evaluation of propacetamol versus ketorolac in combination with patient-controlled analgesia morphine: analgesic efficacy and tolerability after gynecologic surgery. Anesth. Analg. 88(3), 611-616 (1999).
Aubrun F, Kalfon F, Mottet P et al.: Adjunctive analgesia with intravenous propacetamol does not reduces morphine-related adverse effect. Br. J. Anaesth. 90(3), 314-319 (2003).
Kehlet H, Rung GW, Callesen T: Postoperative opioid analgesia: time for a reconsideration? J. Clin. Anesth 8(6), 441-445 (1996).
Tauzin-Fin P, Delort-Laval S, Krol-Houdek MC, Maurette P, Banwarth B: Effect of balanced analgesia and general anaesthesia requirement during lithotripsy procedures. Eur. J. Anaesthesiol 15(2), 147-152 (1998).
Wiebalck A, Vandermeulen E. Van Aken H, Vandermeersch E: A concept for the improvent of postoperative pain management. Anesthesis 44(12), 831-842. (1995).
Philips CJ: Pain management: health economics and quality of life considerations. Drugs 63 (Spec. No. 2), 47-50 (2003).
Shen CL, Dillon JF, Bateman DN, Simpson KJ, Macdonald TM: Paracetamol toxicity: epidemiology, prevention and costs to the health-care system. QJM 95(9), 609-619 (2002).
Hyllested M, Jones S, Pedersen JL, Kehlet H: Comparative effect of paracetamol, NSAIDs or their combination in postoperative pain management: a qualitative review. Br. J. Anaesth. 88(2), 199-214 (2002).
Rainsford KD: Anti-inflammatory drugs in the 21st century. Subcell. Biochem. 42, 3-27 (2007).
Angst MS., Clark JD: Opioid-induced hyperalgesia: a qualitative systematic review. Anesthesiogy 104(3), 570-587 (2006).
Chu LF, Clark DJ. Angst MS: Opioid tolerance and hyperalgesia. in chronic pain patients after one month of oral morphine therapy: a preliminary prospective study. J. Pain 7(1), 43-48 (2006).
Koppert W, Wehrfritz A, Korber N et al.: The cyclooxygenase isozyme inhibitors parecoxib and paracetamol reduce central hyperalgesia in humans. Pain 108(1-2), 148-153 (2004).