Attitude of Swiss physicians towards opioid-induced constipation: a national survey

Constipation in Cancer Patients - an Update of Clinical Evidence

OPINION STATEMENT

Constipation is one of the most frequent problems in cancer patients, and its etiology is multifactorial. It leads to decreased quality of life and impedes optimal pain treatment. Despite the high prevalence, constipation is frequently underdiagnosed mainly because of lack of validated diagnostic criteria or widely accepted definition of constipation in cancer patients. All cancer patients should be evaluated regularly for constipation, and concomitant causes and risk factors were assessed. Opioids are responsible for a much of the secondary constipation in cancer patients. The management of constipation in cancer patients should be multifaceted, addressing dietary and behavioral issues and optimizing pharmacological interventions. Prevention of opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is pivotal, as treatment is often unsatisfactory or inefficient. Dietary and behavioral interventions should be considered. Non-pharmacological measures include hydration and nutrition, ensuring privacy during defecation, using a commode or footstool, and the availability of a caregiver. Abdominal massage may be of value. Traditional laxatives are recommended in prevention but not in the treatment of OIC. Peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonists (PAMORA) appear the first choice in the treatment and an alternative to laxatives in some recent clinical practice guidelines in preventing OIC. Naldemedine, naloxegol, and methylnaltrexone are supported by quality evidence for OIC management. Naloxone or naltrexone, taken orally in combined formulations with opioids, may be valuable in preventing or reducing OIC symptoms.

The Basic Pharmacology of Opioids Informs the Opioid Discourse about Misuse and Abuse: A Review

Morphine and other opioids are widely used to manage moderate to severe acute pain syndromes, such as pain associated with trauma or postoperative pain, and they have been used to manage chronic pain, even chronic nonmalignant pain. However, recent years have seen a renewed recognition of the potential for overuse, misuse, and abuse of opioids. Therefore, prescribing opioids is challenging for healthcare providers in that clinical effectiveness must be balanced against negative outcomes-with the possibility that neither are achieved perfectly. The current discourse about the dual 'epidemics' of under-treatment of legitimate pain and the over-prescription of opioids is clouded by inadequate or inaccurate understanding of opioid drugs and the endogenous pain pathways with which they interact. An understanding of the basic pharmacology of opioids helps inform the clinician and other stakeholders about these simultaneously under- and over-used agents.

Opioid-induced constipation, use of laxatives, and health-related quality of life

Background and aims

Real-life data on laxative use in patients suffering from opioid-induced constipation (OIC) are very limited, and many OIC patients are only using over the counter laxatives to resolve their constipation. Our aim was to describe laxative utilization and quality of life in participants in Norway who ever experienced OIC.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional online survey conducted between 27th of June and 3rd of July 2014 among participants above 18 years with self-reported OIC and who had agreed to receive information from the pharmacy chain (Boots A/S, Norway). The questionnaire comprised a series of multiple choice, close-ended, and free text questions on abdominal symptoms, laxative use and health-related quality of life.

Results

A total of 417 participants met the study eligibility criteria: (1) treated with opioid for a minimum of 4 weeks, (2) actively accepted participation, and (3) confirmed ever experiencing OIC and in addition completed the survey. Among the eligible participants, 86% were females, 85% were younger than 60 years of age, and 57% were currently suffering OIC. More than half of the currently constipated participants were experiencing moderate to very severe abdominal bloating (63%), abdominal pain (55%) and/or pain during bowel movement (50%). Less than every fourth participant (23%) had consulted health care professionals (HCPs) about their constipation. Up to 39% reported that they handled their OIC by self-management, e.g., bought laxative, reduced the dose and/or changed opioid without consulting HCP or pharmacy. Less than half (48%) of the laxative users were satisfied with the laxative they were using to relieve their constipation. The EQ-5D health-related quality of life score was mean (SD): 0.587 (0.272). Although not statistically significant (p = 0.067), there was a tendency of lower quality of life among the participants who were currently constipated compared with those not currently constipated (difference of mean EQ-5D: 0.629-0.555 = 0.074). A significantly lower (p = 0.001) quality of life was found among participants who were dissatisfied with their laxative [mean (SD): 0.424 (0.350)] than among those who were satisfied or neither satisfied nor dissatisfied [mean (SD): 0.628 (0.235) and 0.673 (0.155), respectively].

Conclusions

The results suggest a high degree of moderate to very severe abdominal symptoms, a high degree of self-management of opioid-induced constipation, a low degree of satisfaction with laxative, and low health-related quality of life of patients suffering from chronic pain necessitating long-term opioid treatment, subsequent constipation and laxatives use.

Implications

Patients suffering from OIC with low quality of life and remaining symptoms despite use of two or more laxatives are a vulnerable patient group in need of optimized healthcare management, who also might benefit from more specific and innovative therapy.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of oxycodone with naloxone versus oxycodone alone for the management of moderate-to-severe pain in patients with opioid-induced constipation in Canada

BACKGROUND

Approximately 20-30% of Canadians suffer from chronic pain. Guidelines for the management of chronic pain support the use of controlled-release (CR) opioids to treat chronic pain. Although effective in managing chronic pain, oxycodone is associated with high rates of opioid-induced constipation (OIC). The cost-effectiveness of a combination of oxycodone for the management of pain and naloxone for the relief of OIC has not previously been evaluated for Canada.

METHODS

A decision analytic model was developed to estimate the cost-utility of combination oxycodone/naloxone compared to oxycodone alone in four populations. Drug costs for managing pain and healthcare costs related to managing OIC were included in the analysis and the primary measure of effectiveness was quality adjusted life years (QALYs) derived from OIC rates observed in clinical trials. The analysis was conducted from a healthcare system perspective, used a 1-year time horizon, and results were expressed in 2015 Canadian dollars.

RESULTS

In all four patient populations, there was a trade-off between slightly higher total expected costs for Targin treated patients compared to oxycodone treated patients, but also improved clinical benefits in terms of reduced OIC, which resulted in higher QALYs for patients. Although analgesic costs were found to be slightly higher for Targin treated patients, Targin also resulted in cost offsets to the healthcare system in terms of less rescue laxative drug use and other resources required for the management of OIC. The resulting 1-year cost-utility of Targin compared to oxycodone ranged from $2178-$7732 per QALY gained in the base case analysis, and it was found that these cost-utility results remained robust and at low values throughout a series of one-way deterministic analyses of uncertainty.

CONCLUSION

The clinical effectiveness of oxycodone/naloxone in managing pain and OIC compared to CR oxycodone alone resulted in low cost-utility estimates.

Opioid-Induced Constipation Among Patients with Chronic Noncancer Pain in the United States, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom: Laxative Use, Response, and Symptom Burden Over Time

PURPOSE

Estimate rate of laxative inadequate response (LIR) over time among patients with chronic noncancer pain with opioid-induced constipation (OIC).

METHODS

A prospective longitudinal study was conducted in United States, Canada, Germany, and United Kingdom. Patients on opioid therapy for ≥4 weeks for chronic noncancer pain and OIC completed an Internet-based survey at Baseline and Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24. 1xLIR was defined as sufficient laxative use (≥1 laxative ≥ 4 times in past 2 weeks) and inadequate response (<3 bowel movements or ≥ 1 constipation symptom rated Moderate or greater). 2xLIR was sufficient laxative use of ≥2 laxatives from different drug classes and inadequate response. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were performed.

RESULTS

489 patients (62% female; 85% white) completed Baseline; 27% reported no laxative use; 25% had insufficient laxative use; 48% had sufficient laxative use. During follow-up, 21-28% of patients had no or insufficient laxative use. Prevalence of 1xLIR was 93% at Baseline and ranged from 59-81% across follow-up; 26% met criteria for 2xLIR (follow-up range: 11-20%).

CONCLUSIONS

OIC among noncancer pain patients is a persistent and significant condition with varying utilization and response to laxatives thus increasing the ongoing burden of chronic pain. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.