Subcutaneous administration of paracetamol—Good local tolerability in palliative care patients: An observational study

Abstract

Background: The subcutaneous route is widely used in both palliative care and geriatrics. Numerous compounds are administered by this route, including paracetamol. However, there is no recommendation on which to base this latter practice and, in the absence of published evidence, nothing is known regarding its local tolerability in palliative care patients. Aim: The main objective of this study was to assess the local tolerability of paracetamol when administered subcutaneously for analgesic or antipyretic purposes in patients hospitalized in the palliative care unit. The secondary objective was to identify the factors favoring the occurrence of local adverse events. Design: This is a prospective multicenter observational study (NCT02884609). Participants: Study conducted in 160 patients hospitalized in the palliative care units of three hospitals in metropolitan France from 2014 to 2017. Results: Of the 160 patients, 44 (28%) presented at least one non-serious local adverse event (edema in 29, erythema in 5, pain in 15, hematoma in 2, pruritus in 1, and local heat in 2). No serious adverse events were observed. Factors associated with the occurrence of local adverse events were younger age, administration in the arm and thorax, and a high number of daily administrations. Conclusion: This first ever study carried out on this subject reveals that subcutaneous administration of paracetamol in palliative care patients was well tolerated locally.