Digital interaction checker (safety analgesics use tool) for safer pain management: a pilot open-label study

Background. Safe pain management is challenged by polypharmacy, drug-drug interactions (DDIs), and time pressure, highlighting the need for digital tools to support safer analgesic use. This study purposed to evaluate the clinical feasibility and safety impact of a digital DDI checking platform, the Safety Analgesics Use Tool (SAUT), in the management of trauma-related pain. The platform was designed to reduce adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by supporting safer prescribing decisions in patients receiving multiple medications. Materials and ­methods. A prospective, open-label cohort study was conducted at three Ukrainian clinical centres. It involved 76 adult patients (equally divided into two groups: a control one and a SAUT-assisted group) experiencing post-traumatic or post-amputation pain and receiving three or more concurrent medications. Primary endpoints included: the number of high-risk DDIs identified and prevented, the incidence of ADRs, and physician satisfaction with the tool’s utility. Results. The mean age in both groups was approximately 42 years, with a predominance of male participants (79 % in the control vs. 76 % in the SAUT group), consistent with typical post-traumatic pain demographics in military or conflict-related populations. Amputation-related pain was slightly more frequent in the SAUT group (42.1 vs. 36.8 %). ADR incidence increased proportionally with the number of prescribed drugs: ~ 8 % with three drugs, 15 % with four, 24 % with five, 36 % with six, and > 50 % with seven or more. This exponential pattern reflects known risks associated with polypharmacy, here confirmed in a trauma population. Conclusions. The SAUT platform demonstrated clinical feasibility and the potential to enhance medication safety in pain management for trauma patients. It offers promise as a real-time clinical decision support tool, especially in high-risk, polypharmacy settings.