Fentanyl as pre-emptive treatment of pain associated with turning mechanically ventilated patients: a randomized controlled feasibility study.

Purpose: To compare pain incidence and changes in pain scores with fentanyl versus placebo as pre-emptive treatment during turning and 30 min post-turning in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients.

Methods: We performed a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled clinical trial in the intensive care unit of a university hospital. Seventy-five mechanically ventilated patients were randomized to an intervention group (fentanyl) or a control group (placebo). Patients in the intervention group received 1 µg/kg (medical patients) or 1.5 µg/kg (surgical patients) of fentanyl 10 min before turning. Pain indicators were assessed using the behavioral pain scale. Safety was assessed by determining the frequency and severity of pre-defined adverse events. Pain was evaluated at rest (T0), at turn start and end (T1 and T2) and at 5, 15 and 30 min post-turning (T3, T4 and T5).

Results: The two groups had similar baseline characteristics. The area under the curve for BPS values was significantly smaller in the fentanyl group than in the control group [median and interquartile range (IQR): 132 (108-150) vs. 147 (125-180); p = 0.016, respectively]. Nineteen non-serious adverse events were recorded in 14 patients, with no significant between-group differences (23 % fentanyl group vs. 14 % control group; p = 0.381).

Conclusions: These results suggest an intravenous bolus of fentanyl of 1 µg/kg for medical patients or 1.5 µg/kg for surgical patients reduces the incidence of turning-associated pain in critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT 01950000.