Pain Management in Surgical Intensive Care Units: A Multi-Center Prospective Observational Study (THAI-SICU Study)
Sasikaan Nimmaanrat MD*1, Kaweesak Chittawatanarat MD, PhD*2, Suneerat Kongsayreepong MD*3, Sunthiti Morakul MD*4, the THAI-SICU study group
Affiliation : *1 Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand *2 Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand *3 Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand *4 Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : This study is a part of the multi-center Thai university-based Surgical Intensive Care Unit Study (THAI-SICU
Study). It aimed to evaluate the patterns of pain management in patients admitted to surgical intensive care units.
Material and Method: Case record forms (CRFs) were created by the working group. Data regarding pain management in
the ICUs were documented on the daily record form. These included types of analgesics used (opioids and non-opioids),
routes of administration (oral, intravenous, intramuscular, epidural and intrathecal) and methods of administration (continuous
infusion, regular intermittent, as needed, patient-controlled analgesia and patient-controlled epidural analgesia).
Results : Data were gathered from 4,652 patients. The majority of the patients received analgesics (85.2%). The main stay
analgesics were morphine (52.3%) and fentanyl (27%). Analgesics were frequently administered via the intravenous route
(76.5%) on an as needed basis (48.6%).
Conclusion : Analgesics were commonly given to patients in the surgical intensive care units. The analgesics of choice were
strong opioids, and the most preferred route and method of administration was the intravenous route and the as needed basis,
respectively.
Keywords : Pain management, Intensive care units, Surgical intensive care units
