title: [Long-term treatment of chronic pain with low-dose 7-day buprenorphine transdermal patch. Observational data from elderly patients of pain relief and quality of life].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Six-months analysis of non-interventionally collected observation data of effectiveness of long-term treatment with low-dose 7-day buprenorphine transdermal patch in elderly patients with chronic pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of data regarding pain intensity, pain-related impairments of daily life and quality of life documented by 321 pain patients in German primary care (age 72.4 +/- 13.8 years; 67.3% female; musculoskeletal pain 85.4%; mean pain intensity 6.1 +/- 1.2, for 90% > or = 5 NRS11) using standardised self-report instruments (German Pain Questionnaire/German Pain Diary).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After initiation with 5/10 microg/h buprenorphine (89.7%/10.3%), treatment was maintained in 57.1/39.1/3.8% patients with stable doses of 5/10/20 microg/h after 6 months. The average pain intensity decreased by 5.1 +/- 1.0 (absolute) to 1.0 +/- 1.0 NRS11 (83.5%), pain-related impairments and burden of pain were reduced by 86.0% and 87.9%, respectively, and pain-related quality of life improved by 97.3% to nearly normalvalues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pain treatment of elderly persons with 7-day low-dose transdermal buprenorphine patch on a stable dose regimen resulted in fast, effective and sustained pain relief accompanied by marked improvements in daily life participation and quality of life.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Uberall
authors.forename: G H H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Müller-Schwefe
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D057968:Transdermal Patch
chemical_list: D002047:Buprenorphine