title: Long-term safety and efficacy of oxycodone/naloxone prolonged-release tablets in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic cancer pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of prolonged-release oxycodone/naloxone (OXN PR) and its impact on quality of life (QoL), in patients with moderate-to-severe cancer pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an open-label extension (OLE) of a 4 week, randomized, double-blind (DB) study in which patients with moderate-to-severe cancer pain had been randomized to OXN PR or oxycodone PR (OxyPR). During the OLE phase, patients were treated with OXN PR capsules (≤ 20/60 mg/day) for ≤ 24 weeks. Outcome measures included safety, efficacy and QoL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and twenty-eight patients entered the OLE, average pain scores based on the modified Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form were low and stable over the 24-week period. The improvement in bowel function and constipation symptoms as measured by the Bowel Function Index and patient assessment of constipation in patients treated with OXN PR during the 4-week DB study was maintained. In patients treated with OxyPR during the DB phase, bowel function and constipation symptoms were improved during the OLE. In the DB and in the OLE, health status and QoL were similar for patients treated with OXN PR and OxyPR. There were no unexpected safety or tolerability issues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with moderate-to-severe cancer pain, long-term use of OXN PR is well tolerated and effective, resulting in sustained analgesia, improved bowel function and improved symptoms of constipation.
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Supportive Care, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Sam H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ahmedzai
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Leppert
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janecki
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pakosz
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lomax
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Duerr
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hopp
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D003248:Constipation / Q000139:chemically induced; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009270:Naloxone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D010098:Oxycodone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013607:Tablets; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013607:Tablets; D009270:Naloxone; D010098:Oxycodone