Intraoperative Remifentanil, Sufentanil Tied to Poor Postoperative Pain Experience
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, March 6, 2025 -- For patients undergoing elective surgery, intraoperative use of remifentanil and sufentanil is independently associated with a poorer postoperative pain experience, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.
Axel Maurice-Szamburski, M.D., Ph.D., from the University Hospital Centre Nice Pasteur Hospital in France, and colleagues conducted an exploratory secondary analysis using data from 971 adults undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia across five hospitals to identify factors associated with poor postoperative pain experience. Patient experience measured by the Evaluation du Vécu de l'Anesthésie Generale questionnaire on postoperative day 1 was the primary end point.
The researchers found that 27.9 percent of patients reported poor pain experience. Intraoperative use of remifentanil and sufentanil was identified as an independent predictor of poor pain experience in a multivariate analysis. Age, absence of premedication, and orthopedic surgery were associated with a significantly lower likelihood of poor pain experience. In contrast, predictors of poor pain experience included American Society of Anesthesiologists 3 status, postoperative anxiolytic use, amnesia, higher visual analog scale pain, and lower well-being scores on day 1.
"These findings underscore the need to reassess intraoperative analgesic strategies to reduce postoperative complications and improve patient care," the authors write. "Further research is required to confirm these associations and to develop optimized perioperative pain management protocols focused on enhancing patient outcomes."
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted March 2025
Read this next
Low Rates of Isolated Locoregional Recurrence Seen in Young Women With Breast Cancer
TUESDAY, July 29, 2025 -- For women diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 years or younger, the risk for isolated locoregional recurrence (LRR) is relatively low, according to a...
Perioperative Counseling Reduces Opioid Use After ACL Reconstruction Surgery
TUESDAY, July 29, 2025 -- Opioid-limiting pain management education and counseling reduce opioid consumption with no increase in postoperative pain among patients undergoing...
Risk-Reducing Mastectomy Cost-Effective With Breast Cancer Risk ≥35 Percent
MONDAY, July 28, 2025 -- Undergoing risk-reducing mastectomy (RRM) seems to be cost-effective for women aged 30 to 55 years with a lifetime breast cancer (BC) risk of 35 percent...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.