Acetaminophen administered via IV prior to IV opioids is associated with a reduction in IV opioid duration by 15.5%, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Anita K. Patel, MD, and colleagues assessed data on pediatric inpatients from 274 United States hospitals between January 2011 and June 2016. Outcomes were compared with a propensity score–matched analysis of pediatric inpatients administered IV opioids without IV acetaminophen (control) and those administered IV acetaminophen prior to IV opioids (intervention). After applying exclusion criteria, among patients who received IV acetaminophen, 1,739 (10.8%) received IV acetaminophen prior to IV opioids within a median (IQR) treatment time of 1.5 (0.02-7.3) hours. After propensity score matching produced comparable groups in the control and intervention groups, the multivariable model estimated a 15.5% shorter duration of IV opioid use in the intervention group.
