Patient Controlled Analgesia for Adults with Sickle Cell Disease Awaiting Admission from the Emergency Department

Table 2

Visit characteristics by PCA initiation location.

	PCA-ED	PCA-hospital	value
Pain scores
Initial ED pain score, mean (SD)	9.3 (1.1)	9.1 (1.1)	0.44
Final ED pain score, mean (SD)	7.0 (2.0)	7.0 (2.5)	0.68
Change in pain score in ED, mean (SD)	2.3 (1.9)	2.1 (2.5)	0.90
Bolus opioids given after decision to admit
% yes	45%	72%	0.0001
Total number received before PCA, mean (SD)	0.6 (0.8)	2.7 (1.3)	0.003
Number received on hospital floor before PCA, mean (SD)	—	1.8 (5.9)	—
Treatment time, hours
Absolute time to PCA initiation	4.5 [3.4, 5.6]	8.6 [6.1, 18.1]	<0.001
Last opioid bolus (either in ED or in hospital) to PCA initiation	1.5 [0.9, 2.2]	3.5 [2.3, 5.5]	0.0001
Time to starting PCA after hospital floor arrival	—	1.4 [0.7, 10.1]	—
Time between last opioid in ED and first opioid on hospital floor	—	3.6 [2.4, 5.4]	—
Inpatient length of stay, days, mean (SD)	6.9 (7.7)	6.8 (5.7)	0.87

Difference in mean pain intensity between initial and final ED pain scores.
Median [interquartile range].