Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialThe use of controlled-release oxycodone for the treatment of chronic cancer pain: a randomized, double-blind study.
To compare the effectiveness and safety of controlled-release (CR) oxycodone tablets with immediate-release (IR) oxycodone in patients with chronic cancer pain, a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study was performed in 111 patients with cancer pain. Patients were treated with 6 to 12 tablets or capsules of fixed-combination opioid/nonopioid analgesics per day at study entry. Patients received 30 mg of CR oxycodone tablets every 12 hr or 15 mg of IR oxycodone four times daily for 5 days. ⋯ There was no significant difference between treatment groups in the incidence of adverse events. This study demonstrates that cancer pain patients given 6 to 12 tablets or capsules of fixed-dose combination analgesics can be equally well treated with CR oxycodone administered every 12 hr or IR oxycodone four times daily at the same total daily dose. CR oxycodone offers the benefits of twice daily dosing.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialProlonged treatment with transdermal fentanyl in neuropathic pain.
Forty-eight patients with noncancer neuropathic pain who had participated in a randomized controlled trial with intravenous fentanyl (FENiv) infusions received prolonged transdermal fentanyl (FENtd) in an open prospective study. Pain relief, side effects, tolerance, psychological dependence, mood changes, and quality of life were evaluated. The value of clinical baseline characteristics and the response to FENiv also was evaluated in terms of the outcome with long-term FENtd. ⋯ In only one patient did tolerance emerge. There was a significant positive correlation between the pain relief obtained with FENiv and that with prolonged FENtd (r = 0.59, P < 0.0001). We conclude that (1) long-term transdermal fentanyl may be effective in noncancer neuropathic pain without clinically significant management problems and (2) A FENiv-test may assist in selecting neuropathic pain patients who might benefit from prolonged treatment with FENtd.