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Doherty M, Featherstone HJ, McAleer C, Webb C, O'Reilly M, Twomey M, McQuillan R. Opioid toxicity after oxycodone/naloxone to oxycodone conversion: case series. BMJ Support Palliat Care 2024:spcare-2024-004796. [PMID: 38408794 DOI: 10.1136/spcare-2024-004796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Combination preparations of oxycodone/naloxone are marketed to aid in the management of opioid induced bowel dysfunction, with caution advised in prescribing in cases of liver dysfunction.This case series demonstrates four cases of patients with normal liver function tests who developed significant opioid toxicity on conversion from combination oxycodone/naloxone to oxycodone at equivalent doses, necessitating significant dose reduction.In each case, a cause for intra-hepatic shunting such as cirrhosis, porto-systemic collaterals or thrombosis were identified, highlighting these as cautionary features when prescribing combination preparations of oxycodone/naloxone and the possible need for dose reduction if converting to oxycodone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mairead Doherty
- St. Francis Hospice, Raheny, Dublin, Ireland
- Palliative Medicine, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Clare McAleer
- St. Francis Hospice, Raheny, Dublin, Ireland
- Palliative Medicine, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Chloe Webb
- St. Francis Hospice, Raheny, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Maeve O'Reilly
- Specialist Palliative Medicine Service, St Luke's Radiation Oncology Network, Dublin 6, Ireland
| | - Marie Twomey
- Specialist Palliative Medicine Service, St Luke's Radiation Oncology Network, Dublin 6, Ireland
| | - Regina McQuillan
- Palliative Medicine, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- Palliative Medicine, St Francis Hospice, Dublin 5, Ireland
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Le BH, Aggarwal G, Douglas C, Green M, Nicoll A, Ahmedzai S. Oxycodone/naloxone prolonged-release tablets in patients with moderate-to-severe, chronic cancer pain: Challenges in the context of hepatic impairment. Asia Pac J Clin Oncol 2021; 18:13-18. [PMID: 33660420 DOI: 10.1111/ajco.13561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Opioids such as oxycodone are recommended in the management of moderate-to-severe, chronic cancer pain. All opioids can potentially cause constipation, which may be a significant barrier to their use. Multiple randomised clinical trials have shown that the use of naloxone as a peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist, in combination with oxycodone can prevent or reduce opioid-induced constipation while having equivalent analgesic efficacy to oxycodone alone. However, clinical experience has shown that unexpected events may occur in some patients when unrecognized liver impairment is present. We describe the underlying biological reasons and propose simple, but effective steps to avoid this unusual but potentially serious occurrence. In healthy individuals, naloxone undergoes extensive hepatic first pass metabolism resulting in low systemic bioavailability. However, in patients with hepatic impairment, porto-systemic shunting can increase systemic bioavailability of naloxone, potentially compromising the analgesic efficacy of oral naloxone-oxycodone combinations. This reduced first pass effect can occur in a range of settings that may not always be apparent to the treating clinician, including silent cirrhosis, non-cirrhotic portal hypertension and disruption of liver internal vasculature by metastases. Hepatic function test results correlate poorly with presence and extent of liver disease, and are not indicative of porto-systemic shunting. Presence of hepatic impairment should thus be considered when medication-related outcomes with oxycodone-naloxone combination are not as expected, even if liver function test results are normal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian H Le
- The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville Integrated Palliative Care Service, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ghauri Aggarwal
- Concord Hospital, Concord Centre for Palliative Care, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Carol Douglas
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Health Service, Palliative Care, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael Green
- Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Sunshine Hospital, Medical Oncology, Victoria, Australia.,Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Medical Oncology, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amanda Nicoll
- Box Hill Hospital, Gastroenterology, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sam Ahmedzai
- The University of Sheffield, Oncology, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
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Clark K, Byrne PG, Hunt J, Brown L, Rowett D, Watts G, Lovell M, Currow DC. Pharmacovigilance in Hospice/Palliative Care: De-Prescribing Combination Controlled Release Oxycodone-Naloxone. J Palliat Med 2020; 23:656-661. [PMID: 31904310 DOI: 10.1089/jpm.2019.0226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Pharmacovigilance studies in hospice/palliative care provide extra information to improve medication safety. Combination controlled release oxycodone-naloxone offers an alternative opioid with less risk of opioid-induced constipation. Objective: To examine why palliative care clinicians chose to cease oxycodone-naloxone and to explore immediate and short-term benefits and harms of this medication change. Design: A consecutive cohort study. Setting: 112 adults from 13 palliative care centers. Measurements: Reasons for ceasing medication and the harms and benefits that followed this 24 and 72 hours later. Symptom burdens were summarised by the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Toxicity Gradings. Results: Combination medication was most commonly ceased because of poor pain control or impaired hepatic function. The last median oral morphine equivalent oxycodone dose before the switch was 45 mg (range 7.5-240 mg) with 76 switched to an alternative long-acting opioid (initial median oral morphine equivalent dose being 45 mg [range 5-210 mg]). Subgroup analysis of those switched because of clinicians' concerns about hepatic dysfunction demonstrated this group were receiving significantly lower opioid doses pre-cessation compared to those switched because of other reasons( p = 0.007). Regardless of why the medication was changed, improvements in pain and constipation scores were seen, the latter associated with an attendant increase in laxatives. Conclusions: This preliminary work suggests that despite theoretical concerns regarding the effect of the naloxone on opioid doses, most people were switched safely to very similar opioid doses with attendant improvements in pain control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Clark
- Department of Palliative Care, Northern Sydney Local Health District Cancer and Palliative Care Network, St. Leonards, Australia.,Health Sciences, Northern Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,School of Medicine and Public Health, IMPACCT (Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation), University of Technology Sydney, Australia
| | - Paul G Byrne
- Health Sciences, Northern Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jane Hunt
- School of Medicine and Public Health, IMPACCT (Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation), University of Technology Sydney, Australia
| | - Linda Brown
- School of Medicine and Public Health, IMPACCT (Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation), University of Technology Sydney, Australia
| | - Debra Rowett
- School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Gareth Watts
- The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Melanie Lovell
- Health Sciences, Northern Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,School of Medicine and Public Health, IMPACCT (Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation), University of Technology Sydney, Australia
| | - David C Currow
- School of Medicine and Public Health, IMPACCT (Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation), University of Technology Sydney, Australia
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Pattullo V, Pattullo GG, Strasser SI. Adverse effects of modified release oxycodone/naloxone in patients with moderate to severe liver impairment. Med J Aust 2018; 209:279-280. [DOI: 10.5694/mja18.00380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gavin G Pattullo
- Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
| | - Simone I Strasser
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
- AW Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW
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