Search results for "opioid"
showing 10 items of 320 documents
Prenatal cocaine alters later responses to morphine in adult male mice.
2006
Mice prenatally exposed to cocaine (25 mg/kg), physiological saline or non-treated during the last 6 days of pregnancy were evaluated as adults for the rewarding properties of 2 mg/kg of morphine, using the conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure. Likewise, isolated animals underwent a social interaction test with conspecifics after receiving the same morphine dose. Unlike control or animals pre-treated with saline, subjects prenatally treated with cocaine did not develop CPP with this dose of morphine. Only cocaine-exposed animals showed increased threat, avoidance and fleeing during the social encounter. No differences in motor effects of morphine were observed. Analysis of monoamine…
Meaningful cut-off pain intensity for breakthrough pain changes in advanced cancer patients
2013
Abstract OBJECTIVES: To assess the level of pain intensity at which patients feel the impetus to ask for a breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) medication, and level of pain intensity at which patients consider they have achieved acceptable pain control after receiving a BTcP medication. METHODS: A consecutive sample of patients who were receiving oral morphine equivalents equal to or more than 60 mg daily, and were prescribed rapid onset opioids for the management of episodes of BTcP, were included in the study. Focused educational activities regarding BTcP and numerical scales were established during hospital admission. At discharge patients were interviewed to find out what was the pain inten…
Relationship between background cancer pain, breakthrough pain, and analgesic treatment: a preliminary study for a better interpretation of epidemiol…
2020
Abstract Abstract Background: The different operational definitions of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) has generated unclear epidemiological data. Methods: A consecutive sample of patients was categorized on the basis of their background pain intensity, background analgesic treatment, and the presence of BTcP. Results: A total of 265 patients were surveyed; 117 patients had background pain and 91 patients presented peaks of pain intensity distinguishable from background pain. Of 117 patients with background pain, 49 patients were re-assessed after optimization of background analgesia (T1) within a mean of 8.2 days. Pain intensity significantly decreased in comparison with values recorded at…
Inhibition by interleukin-1 beta of noradrenaline release in rat spleen: involvement of lymphocytes, NO and opioid receptors.
1995
Effects of indomethacin, N omega-nitro-L-arginine (NNA) and naloxone, and of pretreatment with cyclophosphamide (CY), on the interleukin (IL)-1 beta induced inhibition of exocytotic noradrenaline release were investigated in the isolated, vascularly perfused spleen of the rat. Neurotransmitter release was evoked by perivascular electrical stimulation (4 Hz) and the overflow of endogenous noradrenaline was determined by HPLC with electrochemical detection. Perfusion of the spleen with Tyrode's solution containing IL-1 beta (100 pg/ml) for 90 min caused an inhibition of the stimulation-evoked noradrenaline overflow which persisted for at least 20 min after washout of the IL. The evoked overfl…
Modulation by peripheral opioids of basal and distension-stimulated gastric acid secretion in the rat.
1992
1. The influence of opioids in modulating gastric acid secretory responses has been investigated in the continuously perfused stomach of the anaesthetized rat. 2. Intravenous administration of morphine (0.75-3 mg kg-1) or the peripherally acting enkephalin analogue, BW443C (0.75-3 mg kg-1), substantially augmented acid secretion in basal conditions. These effects were significantly inhibited by the opioid antagonists naloxone (1 mg kg-1) and the peripherally acting N-methylnalorphine (2 mg kg-1). When administered alone, neither opioid antagonist influenced basal acid output. 3. Acid secretory responses to different levels of gastric distension (5-20 cmH2O) were significantly and dose-depen…
Tools for identifying cancer pain of predominantly neuropathic origin and opioid responsiveness in cancer patients.
2009
Neuropathic pain (NP) is a difficult issue, particularly in cancer which is a dynamic condition where multiple pain etiologies are concomitantly present. Cancer pain is often labeled as mixed mechanism pain and is not easily classified as exclusively nociceptive or NP. The aim of this study was to explore the value of evaluation tools such as Neuropathic Pain Questionnaire (NPQ), complete and short form (NPQ-SF), Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Signs and Symptoms (LANSS) and Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI). The secondary outcome was to evaluate the response to opioid titration, according to the hierarchical classification of definite, possible and unlikely NP. A consecutive sample…
Characteristics of advanced cancer patients who were readmitted to an acute palliative/supportive care unit
2017
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of patients readmitted to an acute supportive/palliative care unit (ASPCU), the reasons for readmission, and the outcome after receiving specialistic assessment and treatment. Methods: A consecutive sample of patients was assessed for a period of 10Â months. Epidemiological characteristics, including age, gender, Karnofsky level, diagnosis, caregivers, education, disease awareness, kind of admission, and anticancer treatment in the previous 30Â days, were recorded, as well as hospital stay, death, and discharge at home. The principal reasons for admission were recorded. Symptom intensity and opioid doses, expressed as oral …
Clinical and financial analysis of an acute palliative care unit in an oncological department
2008
The aim of this article is to describe the clinical activity and medical intervention of an acute model of palliative care unit (APC), as well as the reimbursement procedures and economic viability. A sample of 504 patients admitted at an APC in 1 year was surveyed. Indications for admission, pain and symptom intensity, analgesic treatments, procedures, instrumental examinations and modalities of discharge were recorded. For each patient, tariff for reimbursement was calculated according to the existent disease related grouping (DRG) system. The mean age was 62 years, and 246 patients were males. The mean hospital stay was 5.4 days. Pain control was the most frequent indication for admissi…
Switching from oxycodone to methadone in advanced cancer patients
2012
The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the outcomes and the conversion ratio of switching from oxycodone to methadone in advanced cancer patients admitted to an acute palliative care unit.A prospective study was carried out on a cohort of consecutive sample of patients receiving oxycodone, who were switched for different reasons mainly because of an inconvenient balance between analgesia and adverse effects. An initial conversion ratio between oxycodone and methadone was 3.3:1. Intensity of pain and symptoms associated with opioid therapy were recorded, and a distress score (DS) was also calculated as a sum of symptom intensity. A successful switching was considered when the in…
Outcome of opioid switching 4 weeks after discharge from a palliative care unit.
2011
Despite the favorable effects reported with opioid switching performed in a specialized unit in the short term, data on long-term basis are poor, particularly after discharging patients home or in other settings.The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of patients who were switched in an acute palliative care unit at a high volume of opioid switching. A consecutive sample of patients who underwent opioid substitution during admission in an acute palliative care unit were assessed for a period of 1 year. Patients were followed-up for 4 weeks after being discharged. Patients were contacted by phone or visited at the outpatient clinic 4 weeks after discharge. Epi…