Opioids in non-cancer chronic pain

Abstract

The objective of this review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oxycodone administration for chronic non-cancer pain. We have started to use oxycodone for 107 patients with intractable pain (mean NRS 7.8) not sufficiently relieved by other medical treatment from January 2004 to December 2005. The data were extracted by one independent investigator. The average pain duration was 13.7 (3-46) months. The most common etiology of pain was spinal cord injury, followed by degenerative spine and failed back surgery syndrome, peripheral nerve injury, post-herpetic neuralgia, spine fracture, spine infection, and post-stroke pain. The average duration and dosage of oxycodone were 3.9 months and 30.6 mg/day. Seventeen (15.9%) patients reported their pain was not relieved with oxycodone. Less than 50% pain relief was seen in 19 (17.8%) patients and more than 50% pain relief in 56 (52.3%) patients. Four (3.7%) patients complained of lack of effectiveness but were still using it, and in 12 (11.2%) patients, the pain has been controlled with continuous use for over 12 months. It seemed to be less effective in post-herpetic neuralgia and severe pain from spinal cord injury. There were no addiction problems with oxycodone. Side effects of oxycodone were not frequent and not life-threatening. The most common adverse event was dizziness. Eleven (10.3%) patients refused to use it because of trouble with the drug rather than its effect. Oxycodone is a useful drug for the management of chronic non-cancer pain.