Effect of duloxetine on opioid use after TKA

Editor's Note

Duloxetine was found to be better than placebo for reducing opioid use and was of equal efficacy to placebo for reducing pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), in this study presented at the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine annual meeting, May 13, in Orlando, Florida.

Researchers from the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City, randomized 160 patients having TKA into a duloxetine or placebo group.

Duloxetine, given on the day of surgery and once daily for 14 days after surgery, reduced opioid use by about 30%. Duloxetine also was better than placebo for patient satisfaction and for the effect of pain on mood, walking, working, and sleeping.

Finding alternative strategies for pain relief after TKA is imperative because improved postoperative pain management is associated with improved patient satisfaction, faster rehabilitation, and reduced complications, the researchers say.