Effects of local and spinal administrations of mu-opioids on postoperative pain in aged versus adult mice.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Suboptimal management of postoperative pain leads to increased risk of chronic opioid therapy, especially in elderly patients.

Objectives

Although this age-dependent phenomenon has been observed clinically, basic mechanisms including baseline nociception, postoperative hypersensitivity, and mu-opioid efficiency in aged animals have never been evaluated.

Methods

We tested these criteria using incision model on adult (3–6 months) and aged (24 months) mice to assess translatability of postoperative animal studies to clinical observations.

Results

Thermal and mechanical testing revealed lower baseline nociception in aged vs adult mice, while behavioral assays after hind paw plantar incision showed similar hypersensitivity levels for both age groups. Ef

SUBMITTER: Mecklenburg J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5469295 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature