Buprenorphine versus Morphine in Paediatric Acute Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 1

Study characteristics.

Study	Number of patients (buprenorphine : morphine)	Mean age (buprenorphine : morphine)	Mean weight (buprenorphine : morphine) (kg unless stated otherwise)	Intervention	Setting	Outcomes
Hamunen et al. [10]	10 : 10	7.2 ± 1.2 : 6.8 ± 1.3	24.7 ± 5.0 : 22.1 ± 5.2	Intravenous morphine 100 mcg/kg, and intravenous buprenorphine 3.0 mcg/kg. Single dose	Ophthalmic surgery	(1) Respiratory depression; (2) Nausea; (3) Rescue analgesia; (4) Hypotension; (5) Time to analgesia
Maunuksela et al. [11]	28 : 32	10.4 ± 3.2 : 9.9 ± 2.9	33.7 ± 12.2 : 33.8 ± 11.8	Intravenous buprenorphine 6 mcg/kg or intravenous morphine 150 mcg/kg. Repeat dosing	Orthopaedic surgery	(1) Time to analgesia; (2) Respiratory depression; (3) Nausea; (4) Sedation; (5) Dizziness
Maunuksela et al. [12]	14 : 14; 14 : 15	Buprenorphine 1.5 mcg/kg = 3.5 ± 2.3 : morphine 50 mcg/kg = 2.7 ± 1.9; buprenorphine 3.0 mcg/kg = 2.2  ± 1.2 : morphine 100 mcg/kg = 3.2 ± 2.3	Buprenorphine 1.5 mcg/kg = 13.8 ± 5.4 : morphine 50 mcg/kg = 12.9 ± 4.8; buprenorphine 3.0 mcg/kg = 10.7 ± 3.2 : morphine 100 mcg/kg = 13.2 ± 4.6	Buprenorphine 1.5 mcg/kg or morphine 50 mcg/kg; buprenorphine 3.0 mcg/kg or morphine 100 mcg/kg. All intravenous. Repeat dosing	Thoracotomy	(1) Time to analgesia; (2) Respiratory depression; (3) Nausea; (4) Pruritus
Olkkola et al. [13]	28 : 28	Six months to six years	Not stated	Intravenous 50 or 100 mcg/kg morphine or intravenous 1.5 or 3.0 mcg/kg of buprenorphine. Repeat dosing	Lateral thoracotomy	(1) Respiratory depression

Note. Level of evidence assessed using “The Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) Levels of Evidence: Introductory Document” [7].