Introduction: This study’s objective was to systematically
review the literature to assess analgesic outcomes of intravenous
(IV) acetaminophen for acute postoperative pain in
adults.
Methods: We searched Medline and the Cochrane library
(January 1, 2000 to January 17, 2010, date of last search) for
prospective, randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) of IV
acetaminophen vs. either an active comparator or placebo.
Results: Sixteen articles from 9 countries published
between 2005 and 2010 met inclusion criteria and had a total
of 1,464 patients. Median sample size = 54 patients (range 25
to 165) and median follow-up = 1 day (range 1 hour to 7
days). Four of the 16 articles had 3 arms in the study. One