Long-term controlled-release oxycodone and pregabalin in the treatment of non-cancer pain: an observational study.
Eur Neurol 2011;
65:317-22. [PMID:
21576968 DOI:
10.1159/000323424]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2010] [Accepted: 12/05/2010] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
AIMS
This study evaluates the efficacy and tolerability of long-term controlled-release (CR) oxycodone + pregabalin in patients with non-cancer pain, in a real-life setting.
METHODS
Patients (n = 1,051) with chronic uncontrolled non-cancer pain received CR oxycodone + pregabalin for 1 year. Pain intensity was rated on an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS) at months 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12.
RESULTS
Throughout the study period, the NRS score decreased significantly (baseline: 7.02 ± 1.26; 12 months: 1.45 ± 0.92; p = 0.00001). Following an initial increase in the mean daily doses of CR oxycodone (starting dose: 12.5 ± 8.4 mg) and pregabalin (starting dose: 121.7 ± 97.2 mg), dose reductions were seen for both drugs with the trend particularly evident for CR oxycodone. 23% of patients withdrew from the study, mainly due to adverse events (67.9% of withdrawn subjects). However, 19.7% of withdrawn patients were removed from the study due to complete relief from chronic pain. The combination was generally well tolerated and there were no reports of addiction.
CONCLUSION
The combination of CR oxycodone + pregabalin could represent a valuable long-term therapeutic addition to existing pharmacological options for the treatment of non-cancer pain.
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