Abstract
Objective: To observe treatment effects and safety of fluvoxamine combined with oxycodone prolonged-releasetablets in treating patients with moderate to severe cancer pain.
Methods: Patients confirmed pathologicallywith cancer and complicated with moderate to severe pain, were divided into control and experimental groups.Oxycodone prolonged-release tablets, with or without fluvoxamine, were administrated to all study patientsuntil pain relief. Degree of pain relief, dose of oxycodone prolonged-release tablets, side effects and quality oflife were compared before and after treatment.
Results: In total, 120 patients were recruited. No statisticallysignificant difference was detected regarding age, gender, types of cancer, KPS between two groups of patients(P> 0.05). Baseline pain score of patients with moderate pain in treatment and control group was 4.9±0.8 and5.1±0.8, respectively; and decreased to 1.8±1.1 and 1.2±1.1 after treatment, respectively. Pain intensity wassignificantly reduced in the treatment group (P =0.028). Average daily consumption of oxycodone prolongedreleasetablets was (54.0±19.6) mg and (44.7± 18.7) mg respectively, which is lower in treatment grpup than incontrol group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.065). Baseline pain score of patients withsevere pain in treatment and control groups were 8.3±1.1 and 8.3±1.1, respectively; and pain intensity aftertreatment decreased to 2.9±1.0 and 2.3±1.0. Pain intensity was significantly reduced in the treatment group,with statistical significance (P =0.026). Average daily consumption of oxycodone prolonged-release tablets was(132.0±42.2) mg and (110.7±33.9) mg, respectively, which is lower in treatment group than in control group, andthe difference was statistically significant (P=0.035). In terms of quality of life, patients in treatment group hadbetter performance status, daily activity, mood, and sleep than that in control group (P < 0.05). Patients in twogroups had similar side effects, eg., constipation, nausea/vomiting, lethargy, dizziness, itchy skin, dysuria, andataxia. Lower incidence of nausea/vomiting, lethargy, was obtained from patients in treatment than in controlgroup, while significant low constipation was observed in treatment than in control group (35.0% vs 49.2%,P=0.026).
Conclusion: Fluvoxamine combined with oxycodone prolonged-release tablets could be more effectivein treating patients with cancer pain, and could reduce the dosage of oxycodone prolonged-release tablets andthus be associated with lower side effects, and improved quality of life.
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