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Shinkai M, Katsumata N, Kawai S, Kuyama S, Sasaki O, Yanagita Y, Yoshida M, Uneda S, Tsuji Y, Harada H, Nishida Y, Sakamoto Y, Himeji D, Arioka H, Sato K, Katsuki R, Shomura H, Nakano H, Ohtani H, Sasaki K, Adachi T. Phase III study of bilayer sustained-release tramadol tablets in patients with cancer pain: a double-blind parallel-group, non-inferiority study with immediate-release tramadol capsules as an active comparator. Support Care Cancer 2023; 32:69. [PMID: 38157081 PMCID: PMC10756890 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-023-08242-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE We investigated whether twice-daily administration of a bilayer tablet formulation of tramadol (35% immediate-release [IR] and 65% sustained-release) is as effective as four-times-daily IR tramadol capsules for managing cancer pain. METHODS This randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, active-comparator, non-inferiority study enrolled opioid-naïve patients using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or acetaminophen (paracetamol) to manage cancer pain and self-reported pain (mean value over 3 days ≥ 25 mm on a 100-mm visual analog scale [VAS]). Patients were randomized to either bilayer tablets or IR capsules for 14 days. The starting dose was 100 mg/day and could be escalated to 300 mg/day. The primary endpoint was the change in VAS (averaged over 3 days) for pain at rest from baseline to end of treatment/discontinuation. RESULTS Overall, 251 patients were randomized. The baseline mean VAS at rest was 47.67 mm (range: 25.6-82.7 mm). In the full analysis set, the adjusted mean change in VAS was - 22.07 and - 19.08 mm in the bilayer tablet (n = 124) and IR capsule (n = 120) groups, respectively. The adjusted mean difference was - 2.99 mm (95% confidence interval [CI] - 7.96 to 1.99 mm). The upper 95% CI was less than the predefined non-inferiority margin of 7.5 mm. Other efficacy outcomes were similar in both groups. Adverse events were reported for 97/126 (77.0%) and 101/125 (80.8%) patients in the bilayer tablet and IR capsule groups, respectively. CONCLUSION Twice-daily administration of bilayer tramadol tablets was as effective as four-times-daily administration of IR capsules regarding the improvement in pain VAS, with comparable safety outcomes. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION JapicCTI-184143/jRCT2080224082 (October 5, 2018).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shoichi Kuyama
- National Hospital Organization Iwakuni Clinical Center, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | | | | | | | - Shima Uneda
- Japanese Red Cross Kumamoto Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ryo Katsuki
- National Hospital Organization Ureshino Medical Center, Saga, Japan
| | - Hiroki Shomura
- Japan Community Health Care Organization Hokkaido Hospital, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Hideshi Nakano
- Department of Clinical Development, Nippon Zoki Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
| | - Hideaki Ohtani
- Department of Clinical Development, Nippon Zoki Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Sasaki
- Department of Clinical Development, Nippon Zoki Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
| | - Takeshi Adachi
- Department of Clinical Development, Nippon Zoki Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
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Tuan J, Wang EH, De Leon JRC, Mendoza MJ, Varrassi G. Management of Acute Cancer Pain in Asia: An Expert Opinion on the Role of Tramadol/Dexketoprofen Fixed-Dose Combination. Cureus 2023; 15:e35770. [PMID: 37025730 PMCID: PMC10072166 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.35770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Most patients experience acute cancer pain at some stage throughout their cancer journey. When inadequately managed, cancer pain has devastating consequences for the patient's quality of life. The suboptimal management of cancer pain in Asia is mainly driven by over-regulation and limited access to opioids. Concerns about adverse events and addiction have resulted in a negative perception of this group of drugs among physicians, as well as patients. There is a need to optimize the management of cancer pain across the region, through the provision of an alternative treatment option that is simple to prescribe, convenient to administer and well tolerated by patients, which will increase patients' compliance and good results. As recommended in many international guidelines, starting by the WHO analgesic ladder, cancer pain can be effectively managed with multimodal analgesia. Fixed-dose combinations (FDCs), in which two or more analgesic agents act synergistically to deliver a broad spectrum of pain relief, represent an effective and convenient option for delivering multimodal analgesia to patients with cancer pain. This is extremely well accepted by patients for several reasons. Any multimodal pharmacological approach to pain management should be based on the potentiality to block pain at different levels and to reduce the dosages of single analgesics, reducing their side effects. Hence, the use of NSAIDs, combined with other analgesics, is the general basis of multimodal pain management. If NSAIDs are combined with tramadol, a weak opioid that has per se a multimodal analgesic efficacy, it may be ideal. The tramadol/dexketoprofen FDC combines the centrally acting weak opioid with a peripherally acting NSAID to deliver rapid-onset, long-lasting analgesia, which has been proven efficacious and safe in the management of moderate-to-severe acute pain in the postoperative setting. This expert opinion explores the role of tramadol/dexketoprofen FDC in the management of patients with moderate-to-severe acute cancer pain. It is essentially based on the incredibly high amount of existing data on the use of the drug, and on the long-lasting experience of the experts in pain management of cancer patients participating in the advisory panel.
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MOHANTI BIDHUKALYAN. Opioid: Plenitude versus pittance. THE NATIONAL MEDICAL JOURNAL OF INDIA 2023; 35:303-307. [PMID: 37167507 DOI: 10.25259/nmji_539_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
The opioid crisis in the USA and in other developed countries can potentially affect low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The licit medical use of opioids has two sides. The USA and high-income countries maintain abundant supply for medical prescription. Between 1990 and 2010, the use of opioids for cancer pain relief was overtaken by a dramatic rise in the opioid prescriptions for non-cancer acute or chronic pain. The surge led to the opioid epidemic, recognized as social catastrophe in the USA, Canada and in some countries in Europe. From 2016, the medical community, health policy regulators and law-makers have taken actions to tackle this opioid crisis. On the other side, formulary deficiency and low opioid availability exists for three-fourths of the global population living in LMICs. Physicians and nurses in Asia and Africa engaged in cancer pain relief and palliative care face a constant paucity of opioids. Millions of patients in LMICs, suffering from life-modifying cancer pain, do not have access to morphine and other essential opioids, due to restrictive opioid policies. Attention will be needed to improve opioid availability in large parts of the world, even though the opioid crisis has led to control the licit medical use in the USA.
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Ostovar S, Modarresi Chahardehi A, Mohd Hashim IH, Othman A, Kruk J, Griffiths MD. Prevalence of psychological distress among cancer patients in Southeast Asian countries: A systematic review. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2022; 31:e13669. [PMID: 35934684 PMCID: PMC9786346 DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Psychological distress (including depression and anxiety) is common in the first years of cancer diagnosis but can differ by country and region. The aim of the present paper was to review the prevalence of psychological distress among cancer patients in the Southeast Asia (SEA) region. A systematic literature search was carried out using several databases (i.e., PubMed, PsychARTICLES, Embase, CINAHI, Web of Sciences, Plus, Scopus, and AHMED). Papers originally published in English language were taken into consideration if they (i) were published from 2010 to 2021 and (ii) reported the prevalence of psychological distress among patients with different types of cancer. A total of 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. The most frequently employed psychometric instrument for anxiety and depression screening was the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The prevalence of anxiety (ranging from 7% to 88%) was wider than that of depression (ranging from 3% to 65.5%) among patients with different types of cancer and living in various countries in the SEA region. The overall prevalence rate of psychological distress among cancer patients from the SEA region was not fundamentally very different from that of general populations. These findings provide useful information for health professionals and cancer patients to understand the negative role of psychological distress in quality of life and health. The research findings demonstrate the importance of counselling for psychological distress among cancer patients as means of effectively resolving their psychological problems and ultimately improving the quality of oncology medical care. Clinical recommendations for cancer management should incorporate the early identification of (and therapy for) psychological distress, as well as their monitoring during treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahla Ostovar
- School of Social SciencesUniversiti Sains MalaysiaMindenPenangMalaysia
| | - Amir Modarresi Chahardehi
- Integrative Medicine Cluster Advanced Medical and Dental InstituteUniversiti Sains MalaysiaBertamPulau PinangMalaysia
| | | | - Azizah Othman
- Department of Paediatrics, School of Medical SciencesUniversiti Sains MalaysiaKubang KerianKelantanMalaysia
| | - Joanna Kruk
- Faculty of Physical Culture and HealthUniversity of SzczecinSzczecinPoland
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Prescribing Pattern of Analgesics in Colombia. Are there Differences between Capital Cities and Municipalities? A Cross-Sectional Study. Drugs Real World Outcomes 2022; 9:487-501. [PMID: 35819624 PMCID: PMC9392662 DOI: 10.1007/s40801-022-00318-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Analgesics provide multiple clinical benefits but they are not without risks. Objective The aim of this study was to compare the outpatient prescribing pattern of analgesics between cities and municipalities in Colombia and to identify the variables associated with prescribing opioid analgesics. Methods This was a cross-sectional study that identified the prescription of analgesics for outpatient use from a population database of 8.5 million Colombians. A descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analysis was performed. Results A total of 573,248 patients were identified who had received prescriptions for an analgesic. Mean age was 46.5 ± 23.6 years and 65.7% were females. The most commonly prescribed analgesics were non-opioid analgesics, antispasmodics, and opioid analgesics. The average milligram equivalent of morphine was higher in capital cities than in municipalities. Age ≥ 65 years (odds ratio [OR] 2.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.54–2.67), male sex (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.07–1.11), dispensing in cities (OR 2.25, 95% CI 2.20–2.30) and experiencing chronic pain (OR 13.25, 95% CI 10.89–16.14) were associated with an increased risk of receiving an opioid analgesic. Conclusions Differences were found in the prescription of analgesics between capital cities and municipalities. The use of opioids does not appear to be in line with the recommendations for clinical practice, and they were mainly prescribed for elderly males with chronic non-oncological pain and for residents of capital cities.
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Doan HTN, Hobday MB, Leavy J, Jancey J. Functional status, pain and return to work of injured motorcyclists involved in a motorcycle crash over one-year post-injury in Vietnam. Injury 2020; 51:924-929. [PMID: 32178844 DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2020.02.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 02/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to determine changes in functional status, pain, and return to work/study (RTW/study) over 12 months post-injury in motorcyclists admitted to a large hospital in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. METHODS A prospective study was undertaken with adult motorcyclists who were injured due to a crash and were admitted to hospital for more than 24 h. Pain and functional status data were collected at baseline (time of injury), and follow-up at 6 and 12 months post-injury. RTW/study was collected at 6 and 12 months post-injury. Multilevel mixed models and multiple logistic regression models were used to determine the changes in outcomes and predictors of outcomes including age, sex, education, Injury Severity Score, length of stay in the hospital and health-related quality of life. RESULTS A total of 352 hospitalised motorcyclists were followed-up. The proportion of motorcyclist RTW/study was 60% (n = 165) at 6 months and 82% (n = 210) at 12 months post-injury. After adjusting for covariates, pain scores improved significantly at 6 months (β = -3.31, 95% CI: -3.61, -3.01) and 12 months post-injury (β = -3.62, 95% CI: -3.92, -3.32) compared to baseline. Functional status increased significantly by 2.89 points (95% CI: 2.64, 3.13) at 6 months and by 3.51 points (95% CI: 3.27, 3.75) at 12 months compared to baseline. CONCLUSIONS The study found improvements in outcomes over the study period, although there was ongoing disability at 12 months post-injury (18% had not RTW/study). This study provides further evidence on the burden of motorcycle injuries in Vietnam and priorities for research, and further informs treatment and rehabilitation service planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Thi Ngoc Doan
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia; Faculty of Public Health, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
| | | | - Justine Leavy
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
| | - Jonine Jancey
- Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, School of Public Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
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Singh S, Prasad S, Bhatnagar S, Lal R, Choudhary N, Sahi MS. A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey of Medical Practitioners in India to Assess their Knowledge, Attitude, Prescription Practices, and Barriers toward Opioid Analgesic Prescriptions. Indian J Palliat Care 2019; 25:567-574. [PMID: 31673214 PMCID: PMC6812418 DOI: 10.4103/ijpc.ijpc_83_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT Inadequate training of medical practitioners is a key factor responsible for inappropriate use of opioid analgesics. AIMS We assessed the current knowledge, attitude, prescribing practices, and barriers perceived by the Indian medical practitioners in three tertiary care hospitals toward the use of opioid analgesics. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Web-based survey of registered medical practitioner employed at three chosen tertiary health care institutions in New Delhi. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED Descriptive analysis of survey responses was carried out. Comparative analysis was done using Chi-square test, independent samples t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS The response rate was 10.4% (n = 308). Two-thirds of the participants (61.7%) had never received formal pain management training, and 86.7% participants would like further training. Most participants (71.1%) agreed that opioids should be prescribed in cancer pain, while 26.3% agreed that opioids should be prescribed in noncancer pain. Half of the participants agreed that SOS (if necessary) dosing schedule (48.4%), low dosage (61.7%), and short duration of use (51.4%) could decrease the harmful effect of opioids. Lack of information about opioid-related policies and addiction potential were identified as the most common barriers to prescribing opioids. Those seeing more patients with chronic noncancer pain come across opioid misuse and diversion more often (P = 0.02). Those who understood addiction were more likely to agree that patients of chronic cancer pain with substance use disorders should be prescribed opioid analgesics (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Indian medical practitioners felt the need for formal pain management training. There is a lack of consensus on how to manage the pain using opioid analgesics. Tough regulations on medical and scientific use of opioids are the most commonly reported barrier to prescribing them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalini Singh
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, Dr. B.R.A IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - Shiv Prasad
- Department of Psychiatry, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Dr. B.R.A IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - Sushma Bhatnagar
- Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - Rakesh Lal
- National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - Nandan Choudhary
- Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
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