CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne
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Meta Analysis
Managing postoperative pain in adult outpatients: a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing codeine with NSAIDs.
Analgesics that contain codeine are commonly prescribed for postoperative pain, but it is unclear how they compare with nonopioid alternatives. We sought to compare the effectiveness of codeine and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for adults who underwent outpatient surgery. ⋯ We found that adult outpatients report better pain scores, better global assessments and fewer adverse effects when their postoperative pain is treated with NSAIDs than with codeine. Clinicians across all specialties can use this information to improve both pain management and opioid stewardship.