title: Tapentadol prolonged release for severe chronic pain: results of a noninterventional study involving general practitioners and internists.
abstract: This noninterventional, prospective study investigated the administration of tapentadol prolonged release (PR; the dosage form described in this article is commercially available in Germany as Palexia retard; Grünenthal GmbH, Aachen) for severe chronic pain in routine clinical practice over a 3-month period. Effectiveness analyses included data from 3134 patients; 1331 received World Health Organization (WHO) Step III pretreatment. A total of 97.8% of patients received long-term analgesic pretreatment (42.5% with strong opioids). Switching to tapentadol PR produced a 3.9-point mean pain reduction (baseline, 7.0 ± 1.5; end of observation, 3.1 ± 1.8; 11-point numerical rating scale; descriptive P value ≤.001); 72.1% of patients experienced clinically relevant pain relief (≥50%) at the end of observation. Significant decreases in pain-related impairment of daily activities and improvements in quality of life (descriptive P value ≤.001) were observed with tapentadol PR with good tolerability. Tapentadol PR was effective for various pain indications in patients previously receiving strong opioids (67.2% achieved clinically relevant pain relief). Tapentadol PR can be considered an alternative therapy to classical opioids for treatment of severe chronic pain.
authors: Practice for General Medicine, Special Pain Therapy & Palliative Medicine, Böohlen, Germany.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Schwittay
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Schumann
authors: B C
authors: BC
authors: Litzenburger
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Schwenke
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010636:Phenols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000077432:Tapentadol; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D010636:Phenols; D000077432:Tapentadol