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

Oral administration of morphine versus ibuprofen to manage postfracture pain in children: a randomized trial
Information type: Randomised controlled trials
Source: Canadian Medical Association Journal
Specialities: Anaesthesia and pain | Emergency medicine and urgent care | Musculo-skeletal disorders | Paediatric and neonatal medicine
Summary
No significant difference was identified in analgesic efficacy between oral morphine and ibuprofen in 183 children with pain relating to uncomplicated fractures. However, morphine was associated with a significantly greater number of adverse effects
UKMi comment
The study authors note that concerns surrounding the safety of codeine in children – see MHRA guidance – have led to a possible increase in the use of oral morphine. Their results suggest that whilst ibuprofen is not significantly superior to morphine, it is a relatively safe and effective analgesic
agent for children who have sustained a nonoperative extremity fracture.
Related links: MHRA ALERT