European journal of anaesthesiology
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Post-operative analgesic consumption is often used as a surrogate measure for pain; analyses of mean data assume a Gaussian distribution and use parametric statistics to assess statistical differences, often in small samples. We used a large individual patient dataset to examine the distribution of analgesic consumption, the validity of such analyses and alternative dichotomous outcomes. ⋯ Because of a highly skewed distribution, post-operative analgesic consumption is an uncertain method of measuring analgesic efficacy of an intervention designed to limit pain during and after surgery.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Acupressure at acupoint P6 for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting: a randomised clinical trial.
Postoperative nausea and vomiting causes discomfort in many patients despite both antiemetic prophylactics and improved anaesthetic techniques. Stimulation of acupoint P6 is described as an alternative method for prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting.In a randomised, double-blinded study, we aimed to investigate the effect of P6 acupoint stimulation on the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting within 24 h postoperatively with an acupressure wristband: Vital-Band. ⋯ We did not find the Vital-Band effective in preventing either nausea or vomiting after operation in women undergoing breast surgery.