Do Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Affect Pain Intensity and Sufentanil Analgesia After Pediatric Scoliosis Correction Surgery?

Pain management in children remains a challenge. Postoperative pain assessment, which currently relies on behavioral and subjective scales, could be enhanced by the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms effect on pain thresholds and opioid metabolism. This study explores the impact of nine SNPs-rs1799971, rs4680, rs4633, rs6269, rs4818 (with catechol-o-methyltransferase haplotypes), rs7832704, rs1801253, and rs1045642-on postoperative pain intensity, opioid requirements, coanalgesic use, C-reactive protein levels, and post-anesthesia care unit length of stay. This study involved 42 pediatric patients undergoing scoliosis correction surgery with postoperative sufentanil infusion. The genotyping was performed using real-time PCR with peripheral blood samples. Patients with the rs1801253 GG genotype showed significantly lower 24 h NRS pain ratings ( = 0.032) and lower sufentanil infusion rates at the level of statistical tendency ( = 0.093). Patients with the rs1205 CT genotype had a shorter PACU length of stay ( = 0.012). In contrast, those with the rs1045642 GG genotype had a longer PACU stay by 0.72 h ( = 0.046). No significant associations were found for rs1799971, , or SNPs. rs1801253may be a novel SNP indicating higher postoperative pain risk, while rs1205 and rs1045642 could predict increased care requirements in PACUs. The rs1801253 SNP may also predict opioid demand. These results suggest SNPs should be considered in acute pain assessment.