title: Buprenorphine transdermal system and quality of life in opioid-experienced patients with chronic low back pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact of 12 weeks of treatment with Butrans® (buprenorphine) transdermal system (BTDS) on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), and the maintenance of effects over 52 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter, enriched, double-blind (DB), randomized trial comparing BTDS 20 μg/h (BTDS 20) against 5 μg/h (BTDS 5) for treatment of opioid-experienced patients with moderate-to-severe CLBP, including a 52-week open-label (OL) extension phase.
  
  
  METHODS
  QoL was measured with the SF-36v2 survey before and after an OL run-in period with BTDS 20, three times during the DB phase, and seven times over the extension phase. This post hoc analysis tested for SF-36v2 score differences between treatment groups during the DB phase and maintenance of effects over the extension phase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 12 weeks, BTDS 20 produced larger improvements than BTDS 5 in role limitations due to physical health, bodily pain and overall physical QoL (p < 0.01). Treatment group differences in overall physical QoL were sustained throughout the DB phase. Quality-of-life improvements associated with BTDS 20 persisted through the extension phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that opioid-experienced moderate-to-severe CLBP patients receiving BTDS 20 exhibited better QoL than patients receiving BTDS 5.
authors: QualityMetric, Inc./OptumInsight, 24 Albion Road, Building 400, Lincoln, RI 02865, USA. kmiller@qualitymetric.com
authors: Kate
authors: K
authors: Miller
authors: Aaron
authors: A
authors: Yarlas
authors: Warren
authors: W
authors: Wen
authors: Bradley
authors: B
authors: Dain
authors: Shau Yu
authors: SY
authors: Lynch
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Brennan
authors: Steven R
authors: SR
authors: Ripa
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D057968:Transdermal Patch; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D002047:Buprenorphine