Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery

Mustafa Kemal Şahin; Eda Cennet Caferoglu; Muhammed Burak Çalışıcı; Arif Timuroğlu

doi:10.46332/aemj.1868984

Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery

Abstract

Purpose: The potential impact of provider-related factors, including anesthesiologist sex, on postoperative pain and analgesic requirements remains an area of ongoing investigation. While gender dynamics have been explored in various clinical settings, their role in perioperative pain outcomes has not been fully elucidated, particularly in breast surgery patients.

Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study included 127 female patients undergoing elective breast surgery under standardized general anesthesia. Patients were grouped according to anesthesiologist sex. Postoperative pain scores (VAS at 0, 6, 12, and 24 hours), total opioid consumption within 24 hours (morphine equivalents), rescue analgesia requirements, and early postoperative complications were recorded. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of opioid consumption, including anesthesiologist years of experience as a potential confounder.

Results: Patients managed by female anesthesiologists had higher postoperative opioid consumption compared with those managed by male anesthesiologists (mean difference: 2.54 mg, 95% CI [1.29 to 3.80], p<0.001). Pain scores over the first 24 hours were also higher in the female-provider group (p=0.031), and the need for rescue analgesia was more frequent (36.2% vs. 21.7%, p=0.042). No significant difference was observed in early postoperative complications (p=0.084). In multivariable analysis, anesthesiologist sex remained an independent predictor of opioid consumption after adjustment for age, BMI, operative duration, ASA status, and anesthesiologist experience (p<0.001)

Conclusion: Anesthesiologist sex was independently associated with postoperative opioid consumption and pain outcomes in patients undergoing breast surgery, independent of anesthesiologist experience and other measured confounders. These findings suggest that provider-related factors may influence perioperative pain management; however, causal inference remains limited, and the results should be interpreted within the context of multidisciplinary care pathways.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

Approval was obtained from the local institutional ethics committee prior to patient recruitment (approval number: 2025-06/86). The study was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07035275).

Thanks

The authors thank all patients and their families for their trust and cooperation. We are grateful to the perioperative nursing staff, anesthesiology technicians, post-anesthesia care unit teams, and the surgical services of Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital for their invaluable support in patient care and data collection. We also acknowledge the assistance of the independent personnel involved in data entry and the Ethics Committee/administrative staff for their oversight and administrative support. The authors are solely responsible for the content; the views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the institution. This research received no external funding. The authors received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Pain, Anaesthesiology, Clinical Oncology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Mustafa Kemal Şahin ^*
0000-0003-2636-6548
Türkiye

Eda Cennet Caferoglu This is me
0000-0002-3290-8262
Türkiye

Muhammed Burak Çalışıcı This is me
0009-0008-4592-107X
Türkiye

Arif Timuroğlu
0000-0003-4100-5505
Türkiye

Publication Date

August 31, 2026

Submission Date

January 21, 2026

Acceptance Date

April 29, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 10 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.46332/aemj.1868984

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA58BM59HL

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Şahin, M. K., Caferoglu, E. C., Çalışıcı, M. B., & Timuroğlu, A. (2026). Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery. Ahi Evran Medical Journal, 10(2), 234-245. https://doi.org/10.46332/aemj.1868984

AMA

1.Şahin MK, Caferoglu EC, Çalışıcı MB, Timuroğlu A. Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery. Ahi Evran Med J. 2026;10(2):234-245. doi:10.46332/aemj.1868984

Chicago

Şahin, Mustafa Kemal, Eda Cennet Caferoglu, Muhammed Burak Çalışıcı, and Arif Timuroğlu. 2026. “Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery”. Ahi Evran Medical Journal 10 (2): 234-45. https://doi.org/10.46332/aemj.1868984.

EndNote

Şahin MK, Caferoglu EC, Çalışıcı MB, Timuroğlu A (August 1, 2026) Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery. Ahi Evran Medical Journal 10 2 234–245.

IEEE

[1]M. K. Şahin, E. C. Caferoglu, M. B. Çalışıcı, and A. Timuroğlu, “Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery”, Ahi Evran Med J, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 234–245, Aug. 2026, doi: 10.46332/aemj.1868984.

ISNAD

Şahin, Mustafa Kemal - Caferoglu, Eda Cennet - Çalışıcı, Muhammed Burak - Timuroğlu, Arif. “Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery”. Ahi Evran Medical Journal 10/2 (August 1, 2026): 234-245. https://doi.org/10.46332/aemj.1868984.

JAMA

1.Şahin MK, Caferoglu EC, Çalışıcı MB, Timuroğlu A. Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery. Ahi Evran Med J. 2026;10:234–245.

MLA

Şahin, Mustafa Kemal, et al. “Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery”. Ahi Evran Medical Journal, vol. 10, no. 2, Aug. 2026, pp. 234-45, doi:10.46332/aemj.1868984.

Vancouver

1.Mustafa Kemal Şahin, Eda Cennet Caferoglu, Muhammed Burak Çalışıcı, Arif Timuroğlu. Effect of Patient–Anesthesiologist Gender Concordance and Analgesic Modality on Postoperative Pain and Analgesic Requirements in Patients Undergoing Breast Surgery. Ahi Evran Med J. 2026 Aug. 1;10(2):234-45. doi:10.46332/aemj.1868984