Multi-dose analgesia trials often involve the assessment of pain intensity at different time points after surgical discharge.

We will focus on the following time points after surgical discharge: Day 0 (6–12 hours after prescription), Day 1 (13–24 hours), Day 2 (25–48 hours), Day 3 (49–72 hours), Days 4–7 (3–168 hours), Days 8–30 (169 to 720 hours).

These time points were the most commonly reported in the eligible trials identified by our scoping review and preliminary MEDLINE search.

We will consider for analysis the last measure obtained within the time point interval (ie, the measure closest to the interval upper bound).

Our primary time point of interest will be Day 1 after discharge (13–24 hours), as evidence suggests that this is the period after surgery when patients report most severe pain.

We will prioritise reports of dynamic pain (during movement) over pain at rest if both are reported. Dynamic pain is deemed more relevant to the process of postoperative recovery.

We will also prioritise reports of ‘worst pain’ over ‘average pain’. The latter is highly influenced by variations in instructions (eg, should periods without any pain be accounted for when pain is ‘averaged’?).