Oxycodone-acetaminophen versus celecoxib for postoperative pain in knee osteoarthritis patients after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized, controlled study

PurposeOxycodone-acetaminophen is a synergic combination of semisynthetic opioid agonis and analgesic/antipyretic agent, which improves analgesic efficacy. This randomized, controlled study intended to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and tolerance of oxycodone-acetaminophen compared to celecoxib alone in post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA) knee osteoarthritis patients.MethodsOne hundred and six knee osteoarthritis patients were randomized into oxycodone-acetaminophen group (N = 54) and celecoxib group (N = 52) at a 1:1 ratio. Each patient orally received oxycodone-acetaminophen (5 mg/325 mg, four times per day) or celecoxib (200 mg, twice per day) from 2 h to day (D) 3 after TKA; meanwhile, each patient received 2-day patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). The primary outcome was pain visual analog scale (VAS) score at rest; other assessments were the secondary outcomes.ResultsPain VAS scores at rest at D1, D2, D3, and pain VAS scores at flexion at D0.5, D1, D2, D3 were lower in oxycodone-acetaminophen group compared to celecoxib group (all P < 0.050). Besides, extra (P < 0.001) and total (P < 0.001) PCA consumption were declined in oxycodone-acetaminophen group compared with celecoxib group. Furthermore, patients' satisfaction score at D3 (P = 0.012) and D7 (P = 0.043) was higher in oxycodone-acetaminophen group versus celecoxib group. Hospital for special surgery knee score (HSS) at preoperation, M1, and M3 did not differ between the two groups (all P > 0.050). The incidences of all adverse events were not varied between oxycodone-acetaminophen and celecoxib groups (all P > 0.050).ConclusionOxycodone-acetaminophen exerts superior analgesic efficacy, patients' satisfaction, and similar tolerance compared to celecoxib in post-TKA knee osteoarthritis patients.