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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Does pain intensity predict a poor opioid response in cancer patients?
Federica AielliAlessandra CasuccioSebastiano MercadanteFabrizio DavidVittorio GebbiaGiampiero PorzioLucilla VernaCorrado FicorellaPatrizia Ferrerasubject
MaleCancer ResearchOpioid responseopioid response in cancer patientPainOpioidSettore MED/42 - Igiene Generale E ApplicataSecondary analysisNeoplasmsmedicineHumansProspective StudiesCancer painKarnofsky Performance StatusAdverse effectAgedPain Measurementpain intensityAnalgesicsAnalysis of VarianceAssessment tools; Cancer pain; Opioid response; Aged; Analgesics Opioid; Analysis of Variance; Female; Humans; Karnofsky Performance Status; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms; Pain; Pain Measurement; Prospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Cancer Research; Oncologybusiness.industryCancerMiddle Agedmedicine.diseaseAdvanced cancerIntensity (physics)Predictive factorAnalgesics OpioidAssessment toolsTreatment OutcomeOncologyOpioidAnesthesiapain intensity; opioid response in cancer patients; trial clinicoFemaletrial clinicoCancer painbusinessmedicine.drugdescription
Abstract Aim The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that initial pain intensity is not a predictive factor of poor opioid response in advanced cancer patients, as suggested by a recent work. Methods A secondary analysis of one-hundred-sixty-seven patients referred for treatment of cancer-related pain was conducted. Pain intensity at admission was recorded and patients were divided in three categories of pain intensity: mild, moderate and severe. Patients were offered a treatment with opioid dose titration, according to department policy. Data regarding opioid doses and pain intensity were collected after dose titration was completed. Four levels of opioid response were considered: (a) good pain control, with minimal opioid escalation and without relevant adverse effects; (b) good pain control requiring more aggressive opioid escalation, for example doubling the doses in four days; (c) adequate pain control associated with the occurrence of adverse effects; (d) poor pain control with adverse effects. Results Seventy-six, forty-four, forty-one and six patients showed a response a, b, c, and d, respectively. No correlation between baseline pain intensity categories and opioid response was found. Patients with response ‘b’ and ‘d’ showed higher values of OEI mg. Conclusion Baseline pain intensity does not predict the outcome after an appropriate opioid titration. It is likely that non-homogeneous pain treatment would have biased the outcome of a previous work.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-03-01 | European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990) |