This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Good, P Articles by Ashby, M Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Good, P Articles by Ashby, M Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Intranasal sufentanil for cancer-associated breakthrough pain

Senior Staff Specialist in Palliative Care, Calvary Mater Newcastle and Lecturer, University of Newcastle, Callaghan phillip.good{at}mater.health.nsw.gov.au

K Jackson

Director Supportive and Palliative Care, Southern Health and Monash University, McCulloch House, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Victoria

D Brumley

Clinical Director Palliative Care, Ballarat Health Services, Ballarat, Victoria

M Ashby

Director of Palliative Care, Royal Hobart Hospital, and Medical Specialist, Palliative Care, Community Health Services, Department of Health & Human Services, Repatriation Centre, Hobart, Tasmania

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the efficacy, safety and patient acceptability of the use of intranasal sufentanil for cancer-associated breakthrough pain. This was a prospective, open label, observational study of patients in three inpatient palliative care units in Australia. Patients on opioids with cancer-associated breakthrough pain and clinical evidence of opioid responsiveness to their breakthrough pain were given intranasal (IN) Sufentanil via a GO Medical^TM patient controlled IN analgesia device. The main outcome measures were pain scores, need to revert to previous breakthrough opioid after 30 min, number of patients who chose to continue using IN sufentanil, and adverse effects. There were 64 episodes of use of IN sufentanil for breakthrough pain in 30 patients. There was a significant reduction in pain scores at 15 (P < 0.0001) and 30 min (P < 0.0001). In only 4/64 (6%) episodes of breakthrough pain did the participants choose to revert to their prestudy breakthrough medication. Twenty-three patients (77%) rated IN sufentanil as better than their prestudy breakthrough medication. The incidence of adverse effects was low and most were mild. Our study showed that IN sufentanil can provide relatively rapid onset, intense but relatively short lasting analgesia and in the palliative care setting it is an effective, practical, and safe option for breakthrough pain.

Key Words: breakthrough pain • cancer • opioid • sufentanil

Palliative Medicine, Vol. 23, No. 1, 54-58 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0269216308100249


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?