Cardio-respiratory toxicity of propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene in conscious rabbits

A systematic review of the use of opioid medication for those with moderate to severe cancer pain and renal impairment: a European Palliative Care Research Collaborative opioid guidelines project

BACKGROUND

Opioid use in patients with renal impairment can lead to increased adverse effects. Opioids differ in their effect in renal impairment in both efficacy and tolerability. This systematic literature review forms the basis of guidelines for opioid use in renal impairment and cancer pain as part of the European Palliative Care Research Collaborative's opioid guidelines project.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to identify and assess the quality of evidence for the safe and effective use of opioids for the relief of cancer pain in patients with renal impairment and to produce guidelines.

SEARCH STRATEGY

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MedLine, EMBASE and CINAHL were systematically searched in addition to hand searching of relevant journals.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Studies were included if they reported a clinical outcome relevant to the use of selected opioids in cancer-related pain and renal impairment. The selected opioids were morphine, diamorphine, codeine, dextropropoxyphene, dihydrocodeine, oxycodone, hydromorphone, buprenorphine, tramadol, alfentanil, fentanyl, sufentanil, remifentanil, pethidine and methadone. No direct comparator was required for inclusion. Studies assessing the long-term efficacy of opioids during dialysis were excluded.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

This is a narrative systematic review and no meta-analysis was performed. The Grading of RECOMMENDATIONS Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the quality of the studies and to formulate guidelines.

MAIN RESULTS

Fifteen original articles were identified. Eight prospective and seven retrospective clinical studies were identified but no randomized controlled trials. No results were found for diamorphine, codeine, dihydrocodeine, buprenorphine, tramadol, dextropropoxyphene, methadone or remifentanil.

CONCLUSIONS

All of the studies identified have a significant risk of bias inherent in the study methodology and there is additional significant risk of publication bias. Overall evidence is of very low quality. The direct clinical evidence in cancer-related pain and renal impairment is insufficient to allow formulation of guidelines but is suggestive of significant differences in risk between opioids.

RECOMMENDATIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS regarding opioid use in renal impairment and cancer pain are made on the basis of pharmacokinetic data, extrapolation from non-cancer pain studies and from clinical experience. The risk of opioid use in renal impairment is stratified according to the activity of opioid metabolites, potential for accumulation and reports of successful or harmful use. Fentanyl, alfentanil and methadone are identified, with caveats, as the least likely to cause harm when used appropriately. Morphine may be associated with toxicity in patients with renal impairment. Unwanted side effects with morphine may be satisfactorily dealt with by either increasing the dosing interval or reducing the 24 hour dose or by switching to an alternative opioid.

Clinical review: Drug metabolism and nonrenal clearance in acute kidney injury

Decreased renal drug clearance is an obvious consequence of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, there is growing evidence to suggest that nonrenal drug clearance is also affected. Data derived from human and animal studies suggest that hepatic drug metabolism and transporter function are components of nonrenal clearance affected by AKI. Acute kidney injury may also impair the clearance of formed metabolites. The fact that AKI does not solely influence kidney function may have important implications for drug dosing, not only of renally eliminated drugs but also of those that are hepatically cleared. A review of the literature addressing the topic of drug metabolism and clearance alterations in AKI reveals that changes in nonrenal clearance are highly complicated and poorly studied, but they may be quite common. At present, our understanding of how AKI affects drug metabolism and nonrenal clearance is limited. However, based on the available evidence, clinicians should be cognizant that even hepatically eliminated drugs and formed drug metabolites may accumulate during AKI, and renal replacement therapy may affect nonrenal clearance as well as drug metabolite clearance.

Acute poisoning: understanding 90% of cases in a nutshell

The acutely poisoned patient remains a common problem facing doctors working in acute medicine in the United Kingdom and worldwide. This review examines the initial management of the acutely poisoned patient. Aspects of general management are reviewed including immediate interventions, investigations, gastrointestinal decontamination techniques, use of antidotes, methods to increase poison elimination, and psychological assessment. More common and serious poisonings caused by paracetamol, salicylates, opioids, tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, benzodiazepines, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and cocaine are discussed in detail. Specific aspects of common paediatric poisonings are reviewed.

Pharmacokinetics of opioids in liver disease

The liver is the major site of biotransformation for most opioids. Thus, the disposition of these drugs may be affected in patients with liver insufficiency. The major metabolic pathway for most opioids is oxidation. The exceptions are morphine and buprenorphine, which primarily undergo glucuronidation, and remifentanil, which is cleared by ester hydrolysis. Oxidation of opioids is reduced in patients with hepatic cirrhosis, resulting in decreased drug clearance [for pethidine (meperidine), dextropropoxyphene, pentazocine, tramadol and alfentanil] and/or increased oral bioavailability caused by a reduced first-pass metabolism (for pethidine, dextropropoxyphene, pentazocine and dihydrocodeine). Although glucuronidation is thought to be less affected in liver cirrhosis, and clearance of morphine was found to be decreased and oral bioavailability increased. The consequence of reduced drug metabolism is the risk of accumulation in the body, especially with repeated administration. Lower doses or longer administration intervals should be used to remedy this risk. Special risks are known for pethidine, with the potential for the accumulation of norpethidine, a metabolite that can cause seizures, and for dextropropoxyphene, for which several cases of hepatotoxicity have been reported. On the other hand, the analgesic activity of codeine and tilidine depends on transformation into the active metabolites, morphine and nortilidine, respectively. If metabolism is decreased in patients with chronic liver disease, the analgesic action of these drugs may be compromised. Finally, the disposition of a few opioids, such as fentanyl, sufentanil and remifentanil, appears to be unaffected in liver disease.

Propoxyphene-induced wide QRS complex dysrhythmia responsive to sodium bicarbonate--a case report

Propoxyphene overdose is known to cause widening of the QRS complex on ECG. We report a case of a 54-year-old female who ingested approximately 100 propoxyphene hydrochloride tablets in a suicide attempt. She developed a wide complex dysrhythmia which responded to sodium bicarbonate therapy. Propoxyphene-induced wide complex dysrhythmia responsive to sodium bicarbonate therapy has not been previously reported in the literature.

Ventilation, CO2 production, and CO2 exposure effects in conscious, restrained CF-1 mice

Respiratory rate (f), tidal volume (VT) and carbon dioxide production (VECO2) were measured in restrained, conscious CF-1 mice. Mean f +/- S.D. and mean VT +/- S.D. were 270 +/- 8 breaths/min. and 0.123 +/- 0.024 ml (STPD) for male, and 274 +/- 15 breaths/min. and 0.115 +/- 0.023 ml (STPD) for female mice, respectively. VECO2 was obtained from a rebreathing (closed loop) system. The maximum VECO2 (STPD) amounted to 95.5 +/- 15.4 ml/(kg min.) in males and to 72.7 +/- 4.2 ml/(kg min.) in females. The CO2 concentration in the closed loop system increased slowly during a 30 min. rebreathing period and reached a concentration of about 2.7%. No effect was seen on f and on VT. Dynamic (abrupt) exposure up to 10.3% CO2 had no effect on f in male mice, whereas VT increased from 112% (2.3% CO2) to 181% (10.3% CO2). The estimated O2 concentrations decreased from 20.5% to 18.7% with increasing CO2 exposure. The equivalent CO2 experiments with O2 kept at 16% by N2 administration showed that the lower O2 concentration added an additional drive on the respiratory centre.

Marked QRS complex abnormalities and sodium channel blockade by propoxyphene reversed with lidocaine

The opiate analgesic propoxyphene produces cardiac toxicity when taken in overdose. We recently observed a patient with propoxyphene overdose in whom marked QRS widening was reversed by lidocaine. The reversal is apparently paradoxical as both agents block the inward sodium current (INa). We examined possible mechanisms of the reversal by measuring INa in rabbit atrial myocytes during exposure to propoxyphene and the combination of propoxyphene and lidocaine (60 and 80 microM, respectively). Propoxyphene caused use-dependent block of INa during pulse train stimulation. Block recovered slowly with time constants of 20.8 +/- 3.9 s. Block during lidocaine exposure recovered with time constants of 2-3 s. During exposure to the mixture, block recovered as a double exponential. The half time for recovery during exposure to the mixture was 1.6 +/- .9 s compared with a half-time of 14.3 +/- 2.9 s during exposure to propoxyphene alone. During pulse train stimulation, less steady-state block was observed during exposure to the mixture than during exposure to propoxyphene alone when the interval between pulses was greater than 0.95 s. Both drugs compete for a common receptor during the polarizing phase. The more rapid dissociation of lidocaine during the recovery period leads to less block during the mixture than during exposure to propoxyphene alone. The experiments suggest a mechanism for reversal of the cardiac toxicity of drugs which have slow unbinding kinetics.

Dextropropoxyphene overdose. Epidemiology, clinical presentation and management

This paper comprehensively reviews the worldwide situation regarding acute overdosage of dextropropoxyphene (propoxyphene). The changing epidemiology of this type of poisoning over the last 20 years is described with discussion of concurrent trends and, in particular, the effects of different preventive measures adopted in various countries. The clinical pharmacology of dextropropoxyphene relevant to the clinical toxic effects resulting from acute overdosage is described, and the management is detailed. In particular, the importance of early diagnosis and treatment is stressed in view of the potentially lethal complications that may suddenly occur with this poisoning. Recommendations for the correct use of the specific narcotic antagonist, naloxone, are made, together with other intensive supportive measures. As dextropropoxyphene is frequently taken together with other toxic agents, the concomitant effects of alcohol and sedative drugs are described and the treatment of paracetamol (acetaminophen) in combination with dextropropoxyphene is emphasised. The most effective preventive measures for the future are suggested, but caution is advised regarding the prescription for 'at risk' patients of alternative analgesics, which may be no safer in overdosage.

Ethanol does not increase lethality due to propoxyphene in rats

Male Wistar rats (210-330 g) were used as test animals. Propoxyphene (175 mg/kg) and ethanol (2 g/kg) were administered by gastric intubation, naloxone (2 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection. Four groups, each consisting of 19 rats received either of the following drug treatments: Propoxyphene; ethanol + propoxyphene; naloxone + propoxyphene; and naloxone + ethanol + propoxyphene. The drugs were given in the sequence mentioned at the beginning of the experiment. Naloxone was also given 45 and 90 min later. Mortality was reduced to 42% in the group that received ethanol and propoxyphene as compared to 73% in the group that received propoxyphene only. Naloxone protected against lethality in both groups. A rise in the propoxyphene/norpropoxyphene (P/N) ratio due to an increase in the absolute concentrations of propoxyphene and a decrease in the absolute levels of norpropoxyphene in blood, brain and heart tissues was observed in the ethanol + propoxyphene group, compared to the propoxyphene group. Although these pharmacokinetic data indicate impaired propoxyphene metabolism in the presence of ethanol, ethanol did not enhance propoxyphene induced lethality. This is also contrary to suggestions from previous studies. Our results demonstrate that at least in one species and at one dose ratio (ethanol/propoxyphene) ethanol might reduce the lethality caused by propoxyphene alone. This suggests antagonism between the two drugs, probably in the central nervous system.

Circulatory shock following intravenous propoxyphene poisoning. An experimental study of cardiac function and metabolism in pentobarbital-anesthetized pigs

The effects of continuously administered intravenous propoxyphene chloride (15 mg X min-1) on ECG, systemic, pulmonary and coronary circulations and myocardial oxygenation were investigated in eight pentobarbital-anesthetized pigs. Circulatory shock, defined as a systolic blood pressure below 60 mmHg (8.0 kPa) and a cardiac output of approximately 2.0 l X min-1 X m-2, occurred after 675 to 2025 mg propoxyphene chloride. At the time when shock occurred plasma concentrations of propoxyphene ranged from 9.6 to 15.3 micrograms X ml-1 which is within the range of the lethal concentration observed in man. Statistically significant decreases were observed for the following variables: maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure dP/dt (-90%), mean arterial pressure (-73%), heart rate (-46%), cardiac index (-58%), stroke volume index (-22%), left ventricular stroke work index (-85%), right ventricular stroke work index (-63%) and systemic vascular resistance (-50%). Mean pulmonary arteriolar occlusion pressure increased (+42%), whereas mean right atrial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance remained unchanged. The arteriovenous oxygen difference increased (+53%) and total body oxygen consumption decreased (-35%). The following coronary variables decreased: coronary sinus blood flow (-57%), coronary vascular resistance (-65%), myocardial oxygen consumption (-68%), myocardial oxygen extraction (-26%) and myocardial lactate extraction (-28%). Prolongation of the ECG PQ and QRS intervals were recorded shortly before shock appeared, and all animals were in sinus rhythm till the last minute before death. The results indicate that intravenously administered propoxyphene besides being a powerful negative inotropic and chronotropic agent, is also a potent systemic and coronary vasodilator.

Dextropropoxyphene kinetics after single and repeated oral doses in man

The kinetics of dextropropoxyphene (DP) and its main metabolite norpropoxyphene (NP) were studied in 6 healthy male subjects after a single oral dose of 195 mg DP HCl, and during and after 12 daily single oral doses of 195 mg DP HCl. The kinetics varied up to five-fold between individuals after the single dose, the apparent mean elimination half-life (t1/2) was 16 h for DP and 29 h for NP. The mean apparent overall plasma clearance (CL) for DP was 2.61/min. There was no systematic difference in DP clearance between the single and multiple doses, but the accuracy of individual predictions from single to multiple doses was poor, probably because of imprecise determinations of the AUC and t1/2 in the single dose experiments. The individual correlation between single and multiple dose kinetics was good for NP, although the predicted plasma levels during steady state were significantly higher than the observed levels (mean AUCss/AUCsd: 0.81). There was no sign of saturation kinetics on repeated administration. In fact, autoinduction, resulting in significantly lower plasma concentrations after treatment for 1 week was found for NP and was indicated for DP. On discontinuing DP after 12 days of treatment, the apparent mean t1/2 of DP was 23 h and of NP 25 h.

Severe, acute propoxyphene overdose treated with dopamine

Six patients suffering from cardiovascular failure due to acute propoxyphene overdose, were treated with dopamine infusion in doses of 2-17 microgram/kg/min. All patients responded with increased systolic arterial blood pressure, increased urinary output and decreased central venous pressure. The two most severely poisoned patients showed no increase in heart rate in spite of dopamine infusion in positively chronotropic doses. In two out of three patients the initially abnormal ECGs normalised during treatment. It is concluded that dopamine seems suitable for reversal of propoxyphene induced circulatory failure.

Lack of evidence of increased lethality due to propoxyphene overdose in the presence of ethanol in male Wistar rats

The primary purpose of the present investigation was to evaluate if the presence of ethanol increased lethality induced by propoxyphene. A secondary aim was to study the effect of naloxone on propoxyphene lethality alone, and on the concomitant administration of propoxyphene and ethanol. Male Wistar rats (210-330 g) were used as test animals. Propoxyphene (175 mg/kg) and ethanol (2 g/kg) were administered by gastric intubation, naloxone (2 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection. Four groups, each consisting of 19 rats, received either of the following drug treatments: Propoxyphene, ethanol + propoxyphene, naloxone + propoxyphene, and naloxone + ethanol + propoxyphene respectively. The drugs were given in the sequence mentioned at the beginning of the experiment. Naloxone was also given 45 and 90 min later. Mortality was reduced to 42% in the group that received ethanol and propoxyphene compared to 73% in the group that received propoxyphene only. Naloxone protected against lethality in both groups. Some animals died despite naloxone administration, possibly due to a nonopioid cardiotoxic effect of propoxyphene or its metabolite. An increase in the propoxyphene/norpropoxyphene (P/N) ratio due to an increase in the absolute concentrations of propoxyphene and a decrease in the absolute levels of norpropoxyphene in blood, brain, and heart tissues was observed in the ethanol + propoxyphene group, compared to the propoxyphene group. In the animals which died, the highest P/N ratio was observed in brain tissue and the lowest in heart muscle. Despite the pharmacokinetic data obtained in this investigation indicating impaired propoxyphene metabolism in the presence of ethanol, ethanol did not enhance propoxyphene-induced lethality.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute propoxyphene self-poisoning in 222 consecutive patients

The course of severe propoxyphene self-poisoning in 222 consecutive patients is presented. On admission, 73% of the patients had neurological symptoms, 10% had convulsions, 45% were in respiratory failure, and impaired circulation was present in 48%. A mortality rate of 8% was observed. Twelve patients arrived in asystole of whom six were resuscitated without sequelae. The overdose was accidental in 13 patients, one of whom died. Early medical intensive care was found mandatory for a good prognosis. Before discharge from the ICU we recommend an observation-period free of cardiovascular symptoms for 24 h.

D-propoxyphene kinetics in man: significance of a deep third compartment

Data from a previously published single dose study of d-propoxyphene 65 mg given i.v. to 8 healthy subjects have been subjected to non linear regression analysis by a curve-fitting program to test the applicability of a 2- and a 3-compartment open model. Analysis of residuals (difference between observed and computed concentrations) revealed similar systematic deviations in all 8 subjects when the 2-compartment model was used (5-10 h negative residuals, after 13 h positive residuals). In contrast, curve-fit by a 3-compartment model (with two parallel peripheral compartments) was good with no systematic deviations. The data show that a terminal monoexponential decline in d-propoxyphene concentrations cannot be expected until 15-30 h after single dose administration, and that the determination of the corresponding half-life is rather inaccurate. Accordingly, precise steady state level predictions may be difficult to obtain from conventional single dose studies with d-propoxyphene.

In vitro metabolism of propoxyphene in rat liver: reaction of a carbinol metabolite with acetaldehyde

The metabolism of the analgesic drug propoxyphene (alpha-d-propoxyphene) has been investigated in the rat liver 9,000 X g supernatant fraction. The incubations were analyzed by HPLC. The major metabolite was norpropoxyphene carbinol, obtained through demethylation and ester hydrolysis. The demethylated metabolite of propoxyphene, norpropoxyphene, was also detected. Addition of acetaldehyde to the incubation mixture decreased the metabolism of propoxyphene. Reactions between norpropoxyphene carbinol and acetaldehyde resulted in a fast disappearance of the carbinol and the formation of a reaction product, the significance of which is discussed.

Ethanol interaction with propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene metabolism in isolated rat hepatocytes

Suspensions of isolated rat hepatocytes (approximately 7.5 X 10(5) cells/ml) metabolized added propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene rapidly. At 2 microM, the metabolism of both drugs obeyed first-order elimination kinetics. Increasing propoxyphene concentrations (1, 2, 4 and 8 microM) gradually increased the medium concentrations of norpropoxyphene. The total propoxyphene metabolism was the same at 4 and 8 microM. The effect of ethanol (10 and 60 mM) on propoxyphene (2 microM) and norpropoxyphene (2 microM) metabolism in suspensions of isolated rat hepatocytes was studied. The half-lives of propoxyphene were 7.1 +/- 5.5 min in absence and 6.7 +/- 2.8 min in presence of 10 mM ethanol, but increased to 10.7 +/- 5.8 min in presence of 60 mM ethanol (p less than 0.05). The half-lives of added norpropoxyphene increased from 17.9 +/- 4.1 min to 26.0 +/- 7.3 min at 10 mM ethanol (p less than 0.05) and 29.3 +/- 5.9 min at 60 mM ethanol (p less than 0.05). Ethanol (60 mM) reduced the elimination rate constant of propoxyphene and norpropoxyphene by 31 +/- 25% and 38 +/- 15%, respectively.

Entrance into brain of dextropropoxyphene and the toxic metabolite norpropoxyphene

Several studies show that dextropropoxyphene after oral administration is intensively biotransformed to norpropoxyphene by first pass metabolism in the liver. While dextropropoxyphene is analgesic, cardiotoxic and shows CNS toxicity with convulsions and respiratory depression, norpropoxyphene is cardiotoxic to the same degree as dextropropoxyphene, but is without analgesic or CNS-toxic effects (Lund-Jacobsen, 1978). This principal difference between the effects of dextropropoxyphene and norpropoxyphene might be due to differences in penetration into the brain. We investigated the penetration of the two compounds in 14C-labelled moities into the brain of rats by the technique originally described by Oldendorf (1970). By this method the extraction of dextropropoxyphene was found extremely high, while it was much lower for the metabolite. The extraction percentage for dextropropoxyphene after 5 and 10 S was 350 +/- 34.1 and 164 +/- 15.2, respectively, while the values for norpropoxyphene was 62 +/- 6.2 and 44 +/- 4.1 (mean +/- S.E.M.), respectively. This difference may at least partly explain the missing CNS-symptoms with the metabolite.