Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32418129›Full record

ArticleAging clinical and experimental research2021

Efficacy and tolerability of tapentadol for the treatment of chronic low back pain in elderly patients.

Ulderico Freo, Maurizio Furnari, Francesco Ambrosio, Paolo Navalesi

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Aging clinical and experimental research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 18% 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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  4. Paracetamol: A Review of Guideline Recommendations.Journal of clinical medicine · 2021
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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

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Ulderico FreoAnesthesiology and Intensive Medicine, Department of Medicine-DIMED, Padua University, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128, Padua, Italy. ulderico.freo@unipd.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6183-2909
Maurizio FurnariAnesthesiology and Intensive Medicine, Department of Medicine-DIMED, Padua University, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128, Padua, Italy.
Francesco AmbrosioAnesthesiology and Intensive Medicine, Department of Medicine-DIMED, Padua University, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128, Padua, Italy.
Paolo NavalesiAnesthesiology and Intensive Medicine, Department of Medicine-DIMED, Padua University, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128, Padua, Italy.
University of Padua · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic low back pain (CLBP) is a highly prevalent and disabling condition in the elderly, and yet it is undertreated and understudied in this patient population. Tapentadol is a central analgesic with an improved tolerability profile that may be particularly beneficial to the elderly CLBP.

methodsWe performed an observational retrospective study to comparatively assess the efficacy and tolerability of tapentadol in young and elderly patients with severe CLBP. Sixtyfive young patients (< 65 years) and 87 elderly patients (≥ 65 years) were titrated on tapentadol extended release to their optimal dose (25-250 mg bid) over 1 month and, then, maintained at that dose for 3 months. The primary endpoint were changes from baseline in 24-h pain intensity on a 0-10 Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) at month-4 of treatment (titration plus maintenance periods). Patients were assessed for several efficacy and tolerability outcomes using a battery of scales and tests for neuropathic pain intensity, quality of life and sleep, and cognitive and gastrointestinal functions.

resultsAt pretreatment, young and elderly patients had similar pain intensities with younger patients presenting with more intense depressive and neuropathic pain symptoms, and lesser comorbidities and durations of pain (P < 0.05). Thirty-eight patients discontinued treatment because of adverse events occurring mostly during titration. Treatment with tapentadol was associated with comparable and clinically meaningful pain reductions in 24-h NRS from baseline to treatment month-4 both in young and elderly patients (- 5.3 ± 1.4 and - 4.8 ± 2.1; P < 0.01); a 50% pain relief was achieved in 66% and 58% of young and elderly patients. The percentage of patients with a neuropathic component decreased similarly in young and elderly patients (from 38 to 0% and from 19 to 3%; P < 0.01). Quality of life and sleep improved. The performances in global cognition and sustained attention tasks remained stable or improved across all age group.

conclusionsThese findings indicate that tapentadol extended release maintains efficacy and good tolerability in CLBP patients with advancing age.

Indexed as

Chronic PainLow Back PainAgedAnalgesics, OpioidDelayed-Action PreparationsHumansPhenolsQuality of LifeRetrospective StudiesTapentadolAnalgesics, OpioidDelayed-Action PreparationsPhenolsTapentadolChronic low back painCognitionElderlyQuality of lifeTapentadol

Identifiers

PMID32418129
OpenAlexW3024453336

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.