RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Methadone is a low-cost, strong opioid that is increasingly used as a first-line treatment for pain in palliative care (PC). Its long and unpredictable half-life and slow elimination phase can make titration challenging. Evidence for titration modalities is scarce. OBJECTIVE: To describe the titration phase of the treatment with low-dose first-line methadone and the use of methadone for breakthrough pain. METHODS: Prospective study with strong opioid-naïve patients with moderate to severe cancer pain followed at a tertiary PC unit in Argentina. Starting methadone dose was 2.5-5 mg/day every 8, 12, or 24 h. Titration allowed daily dose increases from day 1, and prescription of oral methadone 2.5 mg every 2 h with a maximum of 3 rescue doses/day for breakthrough pain. Pain control, methadone stabilization dose, and adverse effects, among other variables, were daily assessed over the first 7 days (T0-T7). RESULTS: Sixty-two patients were included. Initial median (IQR) methadone dose was 5 (2.5) mg/day. Pain intensity decreased from a median (IQR) of 8 (2.3) at T0 to 4 (2.3) at T1 and remained ≤ 4 until T7 (all p < 0.0001 compared to T0). Similar results were obtained through the categorical and tolerability scales for pain. Fifty patients (81%) reached pain control, 66% in the first 48 h. Methadone daily doses at T2 and T7 were higher than that at T0: 7.5 (3) and 6.7 (5.5) versus 5 (2.5), respectively (all p < 0.05). The opioid escalation index at T7 was 1.7%. The median (IQR) number of rescues, stabilization dose, and time for stabilization was 0 (1), 5(4.5) mg, and 3(2) days, respectively. Two patients were discontinued due to delirium. All other side effects were mild. CONCLUSIONS: First-line, low-dose methadone using rescue methadone resulted in a pronounced and rapid decrease in pain, with minimal need for titration and for breakthrough doses, and no evidence of accumulation or sedation by the end of the week.
Assuntos
Dor Irruptiva , Dor do Câncer , Neoplasias , Analgésicos Opioides , Dor do Câncer/tratamento farmacológico , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Humanos , Metadona , Neoplasias/complicações , Estudos ProspectivosRESUMO
La aplicacion de una central de riesgos para el sector de telecomunicaciones, permite mejorar las finanzas corporativas de las companias que como el caso de COMTECO, tienen fuertes inversiones realizadas en un mercado bastante competitivo, y donde el nivel de cartera morosa tiende a conducir a las empresa a la insolvencia. Esto si la aplicacion de esta base de datos de riesgo crediticio debe estar apuntalada por politicas empresariales que aprovechen la informacion obtenida a traves de esta...