Journal of palliative medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Switching Ratio from Parenteral to Oral Methadone 1:1.2 Is Safer Compared with Ratio 1:2 in Patients with Controlled Cancer Pain: A Multicenter Randomized-Controlled Trial (RATIOMTD-010810).
Background: The most commonly used switching ratio from parenteral to oral methadone is 1:2. Methadone is highly bioavailable and a lower ratio might result in similar analgesia with less toxicity. Objective: To compare success and side effects with two ratios from parenteral to oral methadone: 1:2 versus 1:1.2 in hospitalized patients with cancer pain. ⋯ Conclusion: Ratio 1:1.2 when changing from parenteral to oral methadone resulted in lower toxicity and no difference in analgesia. More conservative dose adjustment during methadone route change should be considered. European Clinical Trials Register (EudraCT No. 2010-024092-39).
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The Development of the Australian National Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative "Integrating Qualitative Research into Clinical Trials Framework".
Qualitative methodologies have multiple contributions to health research, including improving baseline understanding in new areas of enquiry; questioning existing assumptions; understanding viewpoints of specific subgroups; and offering complex, contextual information. While the role of qualitative research within mixed methods approaches is well documented, the contribution to clinical trial design and conduct is less well recognized. ⋯ This practical framework provides real-world examples, including sample qualitative questions, to consider at each phase of controlled clinical trial development. As the number of randomized clinical trials in palliative care increases, a readily accessible approach to integrating qualitative research into clinical trial design and conduct is needed so that its full potential for improving study recruitment, conduct, outcomes, interpretation, and implementation may be realized.