Effects of prolonged-release oxycodonealoxone on pain control, bowel function and quality of life: A prospective observational study

摘要

Background and aim: Strong opioids including oxy-codone are amongst the most effective analgesics to combat moderate to severe pain of various aetiologies, but opioid-induced bowel dysfunction (OIBD) represents a relevant problem. The rationale for development of a prolonged-release (PR) fixed combination of oxycodone and naloxone was to counteract OIBD. Due to its negligible oral bioavailability, the |x-opioid receptor antagonist naloxone is able to selectively displace opioids from local |x-receptors in the gastrointestinal tract without affecting central opioid binding sites. Pivotal trials of PR oxycodonealoxone not only demonstrated improved bowel function but also equivalent analgesic efficacy compared to PR oxycodone alone. Controlled clinical trials comparing PR oxycodonealoxone with strong opioids other than oxycodone are not available. The present study is the first data set aimed at comparing pain control, bowel function, and quality of life (QpL) in patients newly treated with or switched to PR oxycodonealoxone or other strong opioids during routine clinical practice.