The efficacy of oxycodone for management of acute pain episodes in chronic neck pain patients.

OBJECTIVE

Most treatments of acute pain associated with non-malignant chronic pains are not satisfactory. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and side effects of oxycondone controlled release (Oxy-CR) in managing chronic neck pain with acute pain episodes.

DESIGN

Randomised, double-blind, stand controlled study. A total of 116 patients were evenly divided into an oxycodone group (Oxy-CR, 5-10 mg and q12 h/day) and a placebo group (placebo, q12 h/day). Patients were assessed for the frequency of pain flares, visual analgesia score (VAS), quality of life (QOL), quality of sleep (QOS) and adverse effects before the treatment and on days 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 after the treatment. Withdrawal symptoms were monitored during the study, also on the completion of the entire study. The SF-36 was administered at the beginning and the end of the study for each patient.

RESULTS

Compared with the baselines of Oxy-CR and the placebo groups, the frequency of pain episodes and VAS were decreased significantly starting on day 3 of administration of Oxy-CR (p<0.05). Improvements in QOL and QOS were significant on day 3 after treatment with Oxy-CR (p<0.05). The patients who were treated with Oxy-CR reported significantly higher side effects than the patients in the placebo group (p<0.05). However, these side effects started to diminish after day 7 of the treatment. Withdrawal symptoms did not emerge in this study. Most domains of SF-36 were improved in the treated patients at the end of study (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Oxycondone controlled release could be an important optional drug for the management of refractory and frequent acute episodes of chronic neck pain in patients who failed to respond to non-opioid conservative treatment.