Predictors of effective management of acute pain in children within a UK ambulance service: a cross-sectional study

Background: Pre-hospital pain management in children is poor, with very few children in pain receiving analgesia. Without effective pain treatment, children may suffer long-term changes in stress hormone responses and pain perception and are at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder. We aimed to identify predictors of effective management of acute pain in children in the pre-hospital setting. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study using electronic clinical records from one large UK ambulance service during 01-Oct-2017 to 30-Sep-2018 was performed using multivariable logistic regression. We included all children <18 years suffering acute pain. Children with a Glasgow Coma Scale of