Effect of Oral Caffeine on Postoperative Opioid Use in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Patients .
Can oral caffeine decrease postoperative opioid consumption following posterior spinal fusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis? A randomized placebo-controlled trial.
N Am Spine Soc J . 2025 Jan 13:21:100582.Fifty-one patients aged 12–17 years with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis undergoing posterior spinal fusion were randomized to receive either oral caffeine (n=24) or placebo (n=27). The primary outcome of interest was total postoperative opioid consumption (MME). Secondary outcomes included pain scores, number of diazepam requests, average heart rate, average systolic blood pressure, and length of hospital stay. Outcomes were assessed during the hospital stay. Overall, the results revealed that the caffeine group had an average reduction in total opioid use by 5 MME compared to the placebo group, but the difference was not statistically significant. This suggests oral caffeine may contribute to modest opioid-sparing effects in this population, though further research is needed due to study limitations.
Unlock the Full ACE Report
You have access to 4 more FREE articles this month.
Click below to unlock and view this ACE Reports
Unlock Now
Critical appraisals of the latest, high-impact randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews in orthopaedics
Access to OrthoEvidence podcast content, including collaborations with the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, interviews with internationally recognized surgeons, and roundtable discussions on orthopaedic news and topics
Subscription to The Pulse, a twice-weekly evidence-based newsletter designed to help you make better clinical decisions
Exclusive access to original content articles, including in-house systematic reviews, and articles on health research methods and hot orthopaedic topics