Postoperative numerical rating scale (NRS) and median differences for NRS between the TPVB group and the ESPB group
| TPVB | ESPB | P value*† | Difference in NRS (ESPB – TPVB)‡ | ||
| Median | 95% CI | ||||
| NRS at rest | |||||
| 1 hour | 2(1–3) | 4 (1–6.5) | 0.02 | 2 | 0 to 3 |
| 2 hours | 2 (1–3) | 3 (2–5) | 0.01 | 1 | 0 to 2 |
| 4 hours | 2 (1–3) | 2 (1–3) | 0.21 | 0 | 0 to 1 |
| 8 hours | 1 (1–2) | 2 (0–3) | 0.83 | 0 | –1 to 1 |
| 12 hours | 1 (0–2) | 2 (1–2) | 0.07 | 1 | 0 to 2 |
| 24 hours | 1 (0–2) | 1 (0–3) | 0.006 | 1 | 0 to 1 |
| 48 hours | 1 (0–2) | 1 (0–2) | 0.51 | 0 | 0 to 1 |
| NRS on movement | |||||
| 1 hour | 3 (1–5) | 4.5 (1–7) | 0.08 | 1 | 0 to 3 |
| 2 hours | 3 (2–5) | 4 (2–6) | 0.13 | 1 | 0 to 2 |
| 4 hours | 3 (1–4) | 3 (2–5) | 0.15 | 1 | 0 to 2 |
| 8 hours | 3 (1–4) | 3 (2–5) | 0.65 | 0 | –1 to 1 |
| 12 hours | 3 (2–4) | 3.5 (2–5) | 0.12 | 1 | 0 to 2 |
| 24 hours | 3 (2–5) | 4 (3–6) | 0.09 | 1 | 0 to 1.5 |
| 48 hours | 3 (2.5–5) | 3 (2–5) | 0.62 | –1 | 0 to 0.5 |
Data are presented as median (IQR).
Difference of NRS=NRS of ESPB minus NRS of TPVB.
*P value compares the TPVB group and the ESPB group.
†Wilcoxon rank-sum test used to compare medians between the groups.
‡Hodges–Lehman estimator used to calculate 95% CI of the median differences.
NRS, numerical rating scale; TPVB, thoracic paravertebral block;
ESPB, erector spinae plane block.