title: PCA analgesia for children with chemotherapy-related mucositis: a double-blind randomized comparison of morphine and pethidine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to compare pethidine and morphine on efficacy and toxicity in children with severe mucositis following chemotherapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  From March 2000 to November 2003, 35 hospitalized children with chemotherapy-related mucositis were randomly assigned to receive double blindly "patient-controlled analgesia" (PCA) bolus doses of morphine or pethidine. The mucositis pain score was the mean of pain measured four times a day with a Visual Analogue Scale from day 2 to 5 of PCA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study stops before total accrual for difficulties of recruitment. Out of the 29 patients with more than one day of PCA, the median (range) of the Mean Pain Score was 44 (13-72) and 33 (3-89) in the morphine (n = 14) and pethidine (n = 15) groups, respectively (P = 0.32). PCA was stopped for failure in 10 cases (five in each group). Constipation requiring specific treatment was higher in the morphine group (43% versus 0%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCA with pethidine appears not inferior to morphine, with less constipation requiring specific treatment, but a larger study is warranted to confirm this.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Mère-Enfant, Pediatric Oncology, Limoges, France. oudot_caroline@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oudot
authors.forename: Agnès
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Laplanche
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Orbach
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pein
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michon
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Raimondo
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pichard-Leandri
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allonier
authors.forename: Sylviane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iacobelli
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pagnier
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demirdjian
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hartmann
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009020:Morphine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D052016:Mucositis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009020:Morphine; D008614:Meperidine