Key result
Propofol anesthesia was associated with a small reduction in postoperative pain intensity at rest at 30 minutes compared to inhalational anesthesia (MD -0.48), but this was not statistically significant (P=0.04) given the predefined threshold of P<0.01.
Why the study?
Does propofol-based intravenous anesthesia reduce postoperative pain compared with inhalational anesthesia in adult patients undergoing surgery?
Meta-Analysis (n=4,520)
Does propofol-based intravenous anesthesia reduce postoperative pain compared with inhalational anesthesia in adult patients undergoing surgery?
Mean Difference: -0.48 (95% CI -1.07–0.12)
p-value: p=0.04
Propofol-based anesthesia does not significantly reduce postoperative pain compared to inhalational anesthesia when applying a strict statistical threshold, though non-significant trends favor propofol.
Propofol offers no clear advantage for early postoperative pain control; leaves open whether anesthesia type influences outcomes in larger studies.
(Abstracted from Anesth Analg, 123(4):846–858, 2016) Postoperative pain management often is challenging despite the use of minimally invasive surgery and advances in pain therapy, and inadequate pain management may cause longer hospital stay and increased health care costs. A postoperative pain therapy approach that reduces opioid requirements and produces earlier ambulation is preferred.
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Peng et al. (2017) conducted a meta-analysis in Postoperative pain (n=4,520). Propofol-based anesthesia vs. Inhalational anesthesia (volatile agents) was evaluated on Postoperative pain intensity at rest at 30 minutes (MD -0.48, 95% CI -1.07 to 0.12, p=0.04). Propofol anesthesia was associated with a small reduction in postoperative pain intensity at rest at 30 minutes compared to inhalational anesthesia (MD -0.48), but this was not statistically significant (P=0.04) given the predefined threshold of P<0.01.
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