Entries Tagged as 'Eur J Pain'
The validity of average 8-h pain intensity assessment in cancer patients.
Eur J Pain. 2010 Apr;14(4):441-5
Authors: Caraceni A, Zecca E, Martini C, Brunelli C, Pigni A, Gorni G, Galbiati A, Ibazeta M, Hjermstad M, Kaasa S
Aim of this study was to validate the use of subjective average pain assessment over an 8-h time period to evaluate cancer pain intensity. A sample of 95 consecutive cancer inpatients were asked to score on 0-10 numerical scales the intensity of their pain at hourly intervals, and then, at the 8th hour, to rate their average pain intensity over the last 8h. Agreement between the average of the 8 hourly measures (8hA) and the single patient-rated average (PA8h) was examined with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the absolute difference (AD) between the two measurements. Associations between AD, gender, age older than 70, somatic pain, visceral pain, neuropathic pain, pain on movement and the presence of pain exacerbations during the 8-h period, were also examined. Average pain intensity scores were very similar with the two measurement schedules: 3.4 for 8hA and 3.7 for PA8h, with a median AD of 0.44 points. Only six patients (6.3%) showed ADs higher than 2 points. Also the ICC (0.85) showed a substantial agreement between the two schedules. Among the examined variables, gender, age over 70years and presence of pain exacerbations showed a significant association with the agreement level. Overall, our results support the validity of a subjective average pain measurement over 8-h period in cancer patients.
PMID: 19692275 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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The management of cancer-related breakthrough pain: recommendations of a task group of the Science Committee of the Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland.
Eur J Pain. 2009 Apr;13(4):331-8
Authors: Davies AN, Dickman A, Reid C, Stevens AM, Zeppetella G,
A task group of the Science Committee of the Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland (APM) was convened to produce some up-to-date, evidence-based, practical, clinical guidelines on the management of cancer-related breakthrough pain in adults. On the basis of a review of the literature, the task group was unable to make recommendations about any individual interventions, but was able to make a series of 12 recommendations about certain generic strategies. However, most of the aforementioned recommendations are based on limited evidence (i.e., case series, expert opinion). The task group also proposed a definition of breakthrough pain, and some diagnostic criteria for breakthrough pain.
PMID: 18707904 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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Prolonged-release oxycodone enhances the effects of existing gabapentin therapy in painful diabetic neuropathy patients.
Eur J Pain. 2008 Aug;12(6):804-13
Authors: Hanna M, O’Brien C, Wilson MC
BACKGROUND: Neuropathic pain remains one of the most challenging pain syndromes; under-diagnosed, poorly managed and associated with significant co-morbidity. With standard therapeutic treatments, responders rarely exceed 50% pain relief and the majority suffer from residual pain. Titration to optimum dose is often limited by dose-related adverse events. AIMS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessed the potential benefit of adding oxycodone (OxyContin tablets) to gabapentin. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of co-administration of gabapentin and prolonged-release oxycodone, whilst also evaluating the use of escape medication, sleep quality and global assessment of pain. METHODS: Three hundred and thirty eight patients with moderate to severe painful diabetic neuropathy despite receiving their maximum tolerated dose of gabapentin, had oral prolonged-release oxycodone or placebo tablets added to their therapy for up to 12 weeks. RESULTS: Oxycodone-gabapentin reduced pain score by 33% from baseline to end of treatment. The overall treatment effect was greater with oxycodone-gabapentin than with placebo-gabapentin (P = 0.007). Oxycodone-gabapentin also significantly improved pain relief vs gabapentin alone (P = 0.003). Oxycodone-gabapentin co-administration was associated with less escape medication use (P = 0.03) and fewer nights of disturbed sleep (P < 0.05). Discontinuations due to lack of therapeutic effect were much lower (14% vs 54%) with oxycodone-gabapentin. The commonly seen opiate-induced adverse events were not exacerbated by the combination of oxycodone and gabapentin. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first evidence that co-administration of prolonged-release oxycodone and existing gabapentin therapy has a clinically meaningful effect in painful diabetic neuropathy.
PMID: 18262450 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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