Factors associated with pain intensity and analgesic use during inpatient rehabilitation for hip fracture.

Purpose: Effective pain management is vital for hip fracture recovery, yet the factors influencing pain reporting and pain medication use during inpatient rehabilitation for hip fractures are not well understood. This observational study aimed to (a) determine how cognitive abilities, expressive and receptive language abilities, and age are related to average daily pain intensity and analgesic use and (b) how average daily pain intensity and analgesic use are related to length of stay and functional outcomes in rehabilitation.

Design: Data were retrospectively obtained from 163 patients recovering from unilateral trochanteric fractures of the femur.

Results: During the first week of rehabilitation, patients received a daily average of 1,147.8 ± 978 mg of acetaminophen and a morphine milligram equivalent of 15.3 ± 18.2. Multivariable regression revealed independent relationships between more intact general cognitive abilities ( = -0.40, 95% CI [-0.70, -0.11]), and older age ( = -0.41, 95% CI [-0.70, -0.11]) with lower average daily pain intensity. Higher average daily pain intensity ( = 0.97, 95% CI [0.75, 1.20]) was independently related to greater opioid use. The length of stay was shorter among patients administered higher daily doses of acetaminophen ( = 0.03, 95% CI [-0.05, -0.01]). Average daily pain intensity and analgesic use were not related to functional outcomes in multivariable models.

Conclusions: These findings inform the considerations for assessing and treating pain during inpatient rehabilitation. Supplemental strategies for assessing pain in older patients and alternative pain mitigation strategies for patients with impaired cognitive abilities should be considered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).