Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27744534›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2017

The use of low doses of a sublingual fentanyl formulation for breakthrough pain in patients receiving low doses of opioids.

Sebastiano Mercadante, Claudio Adile, Arturo Cuomo, Federica Aielli, Franco Marinangeli, Alessandra Casuccio

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Once again... breakthrough cancer pain: an updated overview.Journal of anesthesia, analgesia and critical care · 2023
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Sebastiano MercadantePain relief and Palliative/supportive care unit, La Maddalena Cancer Center, Palermo, Italy. terapiadeldolore@lamaddalenanet.it.
Claudio AdilePain relief and Palliative/supportive care unit, La Maddalena Cancer Center, Palermo, Italy.
Arturo CuomoPain Therapy, National Cancer Institute "Pascale", Naples, Italy.
Federica AielliDepartment of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Franco MarinangeliAnesthesia & Intensive care, University of L' Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Alessandra CasuccioDepartment of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
La Maddalena · ITUniversity of L'Aquila · ITIstituto Nazionale Tumori IRCCS "Fondazione G. Pascale" · ITUniversity of Palermo · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe aim of this study was to prospectively assess the efficacy and safety of low doses of sublingual fentanyl (SLF) for the treatment of breakthrough pain (BTP) in cancer patients in patients who were receiving low opioid doses for background analgesia.

methodsA sample of cancer patients presenting BTP episodes and receiving stable low doses of opioids for background pain (less than 60 mg of oral morphine equivalents) was selected to assess the efficacy and safety of low doses of SLF (67 μg). For each patient, data from four consecutive episodes were collected. For each episode, changes in pain intensity and adverse effects when pain got severe (T0), and 5, 10, and 15 min after SLF administration (T5-T30) were recorded. The occurrence of serious effects occurring within 2 h of SLF administration were also considered.

resultsFifty-one patients were recruited for the study. The mean age was 66.8 (SD 12.9). A mean of 3.3 episodes/patient were recorded. Four patients did not have episodes of BTP. 147 episodes were evaluated. Six episodes (4.1 %) required a rescue medication at T30. Pain intensity significantly decreased at T5, T10, T15 and T30 (p < 0.0005 in all cases). A high percentage of patients had a pain reduction of more than 33 and 50 % at T5, T10, T15 and T30. Adverse effects were mild and generally already present, due to basal opioid treatment or disease. No serious adverse effects were observed for the subsequent 2 h.

conclusionThis study suggests that SLF given in low doses in patients receiving lower doses of opioids for background analgesia is safe and effective in clinical practice.

Indexed as

Administration, SublingualAgedAnalgesics, OpioidBreakthrough PainFemaleFentanylHumansMaleProspective StudiesAnalgesics, OpioidFentanylBreakthrough-episodic painCancer painOpioidsSublingual tablet

Identifiers

PMID27744534
OpenAlexW2529915643

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.