ALMouaalamy Nabil
Oncology Department/Palliative Care, Princess Noorah Oncology Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah, SAU.
Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, SAU.
Cureus. 2021 Apr 9;13(4):e14386. doi: 10.7759/cureus.14386.
The present study discusses opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in advanced cancer patients, focusing on the OIC definition, pathophysiology, and treatment. OIC is any change from baseline defecation patterns and bowel habits that developed after starting opioid therapy. The condition is characterized by bowel frequency reduction, worsening or development of straining, a sensation of incomplete defecation, or distress associated with bowel habits. OIC is common in advanced cancer patients, with a prevalence of approximately 51%-87% in patients taking opioids for pain management. Patients are likely to experience severe distress, work productivity reduction, poor quality of life, and increased healthcare utilization. OIC has a complex pathophysiology that involves propulsive and peristalsis impairment, intestinal mucosal secretion inhibition, intestinal fluid absorption enhancement, and anal sphincters function impairment. The Rome III criteria are used to assess and diagnose clinical OIC and can also be diagnosed through the Patient Assessment of Constipation (PAC) measures, including the symptom survey (PAC-SYM) and quality of life survey (PAC-QOL). Non-pharmacological treatment of OIC involves lifestyle habits and dietary adjustments, although these interventions might be insufficient to manage the condition. Pharmacological treatments involve the use of traditional laxatives and newer agents like peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor agonists (PAMORAs), including naldemedine, naloxegol, and methylnaltrexone. More novel treatments for OIC that target the pathophysiology are still needed and should be studied carefully for safety and efficacy.
本研究探讨晚期癌症患者的阿片类药物引起的便秘(OIC),重点关注OIC的定义、病理生理学和治疗。OIC是指开始阿片类药物治疗后排便模式和肠道习惯相对于基线的任何改变。该病症的特征为排便频率降低、用力排便情况加重或出现、排便不尽感或与肠道习惯相关的不适。OIC在晚期癌症患者中很常见,在服用阿片类药物进行疼痛管理的患者中患病率约为51%-87%。患者可能会经历严重不适、工作效率降低、生活质量差以及医疗资源利用增加。OIC具有复杂的病理生理学,涉及推进和蠕动功能受损、肠黏膜分泌抑制、肠液吸收增强以及肛门括约肌功能受损。罗马III标准用于评估和诊断临床OIC,也可通过便秘患者评估(PAC)措施进行诊断,包括症状调查(PAC-SYM)和生活质量调查(PAC-QOL)。OIC的非药物治疗包括生活习惯和饮食调整,尽管这些干预措施可能不足以控制病情。药物治疗包括使用传统泻药和新型药物,如外周作用的μ-阿片受体激动剂(PAMORA),包括纳地美定、纳洛西醇和甲基纳曲酮。仍需要针对病理生理学的更新颖的OIC治疗方法,并且应仔细研究其安全性和有效性。