Morphine-Infused silver sulfadiazine (MISS) cream for burn analgesia: a pilot study

• Published in: Journal of burn care & rehabilitation Vol. 22; no. 2; p. 118
• Main Authors: Long, T D, Cathers, T A, Twillman, R, O'Donnell, T, Garrigues, N, Jones, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-03-2001
• Subjects: Administration, Topical; Adult; Analgesics, Opioid - administration & dosage; Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use; Anti-Infective Agents, Local - administration & dosage; Anti-Infective Agents, Local - therapeutic use; Burns - complications; Double-Blind Method; Drug Combinations; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Morphine - administration & dosage; Morphine - therapeutic use; Ointments; Pain - drug therapy; Pain Measurement; Pilot Projects; Silver Sulfadiazine - administration & dosage; Silver Sulfadiazine - therapeutic use; Statistics, Nonparametric; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 0273-8481
• DOI: 10.1097/00004630-200103000-00006

Pain is considered the most distressing symptom of a burn wound, with analgesia usually provided via oral or parenteral medications. Use of systemic opioids can be complicated by fluctuations in bioavailability, absorption, and clearance of drugs caused by the burn. There has been little research done in the area of topical medications for burn analgesia. The following is a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study assessing the safety (side effects) and efficacy (pain ratings and medications administered) of morphine-infused silver sulfadiazine cream for burn pain. Four patients are reported on (2 in each group). Only participants taking placebo reported side effects related to morphine and necessitated anxiolytic medications. Pain ratings in the treatment group ranged from 0 to 7 with a mean of 2.1, whereas the placebo group's ratings ranged from 2 to 8 with a mean of 5.6. The placebo group averaged 55.3 mg oral morphine per half day, whereas the treatment group averaged 42.9 mg.