Effect of duloxetine on pain relief after total knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Background: Postoperative pain is one of the most feared complications of total knee arthroplasty. Recently, randomized controlled trials have compared the efficacy of duloxetine in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. However, there is no definite answer as to the efficacy and safety of duloxetine. Methods: Randomized controlled trials about relevant studies were searched from PubMed (1996 to July 2022), Embase (1996 to July 2022), and Cochrane Library (CENTRAL, July 2022). Results: Six high-quality studies containing 532 patients met the inclusion criteria. Results show patients in the duloxetine group had better performance in terms of visual analog scale (P < .05), equivalent morphine consumption (P < .05), and length of stay (P < .05). Conclusion: Duloxetine can be used to reduce pain after knee arthroplasty in selected patients.

The efficacy of peri-operative duloxetine on reducing post-operative pain and opioid doses – literature review

“…Data on the analgesic effectiveness of duloxetine differ among the studies discussed: Yang et al reported a significant reduction in pain in the range from three days to eight weeks after the procedure, while Zhou et al noted the above effect only within the first 24h after surgery. In all the mentioned works, the authors pointed to the small amount of material available for analysis, and therefore reported the need to conduct further, large, well-designed RCTs [32][33][34]. In another metaanalysis assessing the effectiveness of duloxetine for postoperative pain control after total knee or hip arthroplasty, Jones et al reported a reduction in opoid consumption 48 and 72h after surgery in patients taking the drug.…”