Outcomes of hip fracture treatment with intravenous morphine and with other analgesics: postoperative analgesic medical expense, severity of pain and hospitalisation-a retrospective study.

AIMS: This study compares the postoperative medical costs and outcomes of hip fracture patients treated with intravenous (IV) versus other analgesics (weak opioids, NSAIDs or acetaminophen). METHODS: We performed a retrospective study at a tertiary hospital in Thailand, examining 1,531 patients who underwent hip fracture surgery between 2009 and 2020. We analyzed data on analgesic usage, costs, pain scores, and adverse effects. RESULTS: In the study of 1531 patients, 63% of patients received as-needed analgesics, and 37% received preemptive prescriptions. In both groups, IV morphine was the predominant choice. The mean cost for the IV group was marginally higher than the other analgesics group ($2277 vs $2174). The other analgesics group had a significantly higher consumption of acetaminophen and selective NSAIDs (p = 0.004). Pain scores were similar across both groups, but the IV group had a significantly higher incidence of gastrointestinal side effects (24% vs 10.5%, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The choice of IV or other analgesics in treating hip fractures affects analgesic usage, side effects, medical costs, and patient outcomes. Further studies across different regions are recommended.