University of Calgary Reports Findings in Opioids (Trends and hospital practice variation for analgesia for children with sickle cell disease with vaso-occlusive pain episodes: An 11-year analysis).

A study conducted by the University of Calgary analyzed trends in analgesia use for children with sickle cell disease and vaso-occlusive pain episodes over an 11-year period in U.S. pediatric emergency departments. The research found an increased use of NSAIDs, ketamine, and acetaminophen, with consistent opioid use. Larger hospitals were more likely to administer opioids but less likely to co-administer NSAIDs with opioids compared to medium-volume hospitals. The study concluded that variations in analgesia practices across hospitals highlight the importance of standardizing pain management strategies for this population. [Extracted from the article]