HPLC Investigated Physicochemical Compatibility between Artrosilene® Injectable Solution and other Pharmaceutical Products Frequently Used for Combined Therapy into Elastomeric Baxter LV5 Infusion Devices

Long-term continuous subcutaneous infusion of ketoprofen combined with morphine: a safe and effective approach to cancer pain

OBJECTIVES

According to international guidelines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioids are the cornerstone drugs for cancer pain. In clinical practice, severe cancer pain often requires 3 step analgesics and alternative routes of administration, thus NSAIDs are usually abandoned. Our aim was to evaluate feasibility, safety, and efficacy of ketoprofen combined with opioids in long-term continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSI) for cancer pain in a prospective observational open-label pilot study.

METHODS

Ketoprofen was added to morphine CSI in 172 consecutive patients (study group, SG). Concomitantly, 48 received opioids CSI without ketoprofen for contraindication to NSAIDs (control group, CG). CSI was delivered through a single-use elastomeric pump refilled weekly. Safety was evaluated according to the number of adverse events and their severity. The measures of efficacy were pain relief (NRS, Numerical Rating Scale), percentage of patients that needed to increase morphine dosage, and median relative increase between weeks 2 and 4.

RESULTS

Toxicity typically attributable to NSAIDs were recorded in 4.1% of patients after 3 months of treatment and the combination of NSAIDs and corticosteroids seems not to influence the risk of gastrointestinal adverse effects. The local side effects related to the CSI regimen were negligible in both the groups. By the fourth week, pain was well controlled (NRS 0 to 2) in 80% of patients receiving ketoprofen compared with 46% of patients without ketoprofen (P<0.01.) Moreover, the percentage of patients needing to increase the morphine dosage (40.5% vs. 68.7% P<0.01) and the relative dose increase (12% vs. 25% P<0.005) were significantly lower in the SG.

CONCLUSIONS

Ketoprofen CSI in combination with opioids is a feasible, safe, and effective approach to cancer pain.