Articles: opioid.
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the ageing global population and concomitant increase in the use of opioid analgesia have highlighted the need to evaluate the effectiveness of opioids for chronic pain in older people. ⋯ there is limited evidence supporting the use of long-term opioid use in older people for chronic non-cancer pain and a lack of trials in this age group. Age-specific guidelines are required addressing initial assessment, indications, monitoring and de-prescribing.
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Opioids are the gold standard for the treatment of cancer-related pain. Preclinical studies have associated opioids with cancer progression and overall survival. In mice models, opioids have been shown to possess pro-tumor activity secondary to immunosuppression, migration of tumor cells, increased activity of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, and angiogenesis leading to tumor progression. ⋯ The survival in these advanced cancer patients taking opioids may be more likely to be associated with cancer progression and not the opioid use. Adequate treatment of cancer pain has the potential to improve quality of life and performance status, highlighting the importance of continuing to use opioids to manage pain efficiently. More research is clearly needed.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Feb 2020
Review Meta AnalysisDihydrocodeine for detoxification and maintenance treatment in individuals with opiate use disorders.
Medical treatment and detoxification from opiate disorders includes oral administration of opioid agonists. Dihydrocodeine (DHC) substitution treatment is typically low threshold and therefore has the capacity to reach wider groups of opiate users. Decisions to prescribe DHC to patients with less severe opiate disorders centre on its perceived safety, reduced toxicity, shorter half-life and more rapid onset of action, and potential retention of patients. This review set out to investigate the effects of DHC in comparison to other pharmaceutical opioids and placebos in the detoxification and substitution of individuals with opiate use disorders. ⋯ We found low-quality evidence that DHC may be no more effective than other commonly used pharmacological interventions in reducing illicit opiate use. It is therefore premature to make any conclusive statements about the effectiveness of DHC, and it is suggested that further high-quality studies are conducted, especially in low- to middle-income countries.
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Feb 2020
ReviewOpioid-sparing effects of 10 kHz spinal cord stimulation: a review of clinical evidence.
Chronic pain is a common condition that affects the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of patients and can significantly diminish their quality of life. Due to growing concerns about the substantial risks of long-term opioid use, both governmental agencies and professional societies have recommended prioritizing the use of nonpharmacologic treatments, when suitable, in order to reduce or eliminate the need for opioid use. The use of 10 kHz spinal cord stimulation (10 kHz SCS) is one such nonpharmacologic alternative for the treatment of chronic, intractable pain of the trunk and limbs. ⋯ Multiple prospective and retrospective studies in patients with intractable pain demonstrated that 10 kHz SCS treatment provided ≥50% pain relief in >70% patients after at least 1 year of treatment. Pain relief with 10 kHz SCS therapy ranged from 54% to 87% in the studies. More importantly, the mean daily dose of opioids required by patients in these studies was reduced after 10 kHz SCS treatment, and on average over 60% patients in studies either reduced or eliminated opioids at the last follow-up.
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To investigate the current evidence to determine if there is an association between chiropractic use and opioid receipt. ⋯ This review demonstrated an inverse association between chiropractic use and opioid receipt among patients with spinal pain. Further research is warranted to assess this association and the implications it may have for case management strategies to decrease opioid use.