Early switching from morphine to methadone is not improved by acetaminophen in the analgesia of oncologic patients: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Objectives This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of methadone as substitute for morphine and to investigate if the addition of acetaminophen could reduce the time to attain an equianalgesic dose of methadone and/or to improve the level of pain control in oncologic patients. Patients and methods F...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Supportive care in cancer 2010-02, Vol.18 (2), p.235-242
Main Authors: Cubero, Daniel I. G., del Giglio, Auro
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetaminophen
Acetaminophen - administration & dosage
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Analgesia
Analgesics
Analgesics, Non-Narcotic - administration & dosage
Analgesics, Opioid - administration & dosage
Cancer
Clinical trials
Double-Blind Method
Drug Administration Schedule
Drug Synergism
Humans
Medical research
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Medicine, Experimental
Methadone - administration & dosage
Middle Aged
Morphine
Morphine - administration & dosage
Narcotics
Neoplasms - complications
Nursing
Nursing Research
Oncology
Original Article
Pain - etiology
Pain - prevention & control
Pain management
Pain Medicine
Prospective Studies
Rehabilitation Medicine
Young Adult
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Summary:Objectives This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of methadone as substitute for morphine and to investigate if the addition of acetaminophen could reduce the time to attain an equianalgesic dose of methadone and/or to improve the level of pain control in oncologic patients. Patients and methods Fifty patients on stable doses of morphine for 1 week were switched to methadone using a “stop–start” strategy and randomized in a double-blind fashion to receive either acetaminophen (750 mg PO every 6 hours) or placebo for a 7-day period. We collected data regarding level of pain, side effects, and quality of life. Results Substitution of morphine for methadone resulted in a significant reduction in constipation ( p  
ISSN:0941-4355
1433-7339
DOI:10.1007/s00520-009-0649-8