Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37280564›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2023

A better interpretation of data regarding the opioid switching to methadone.

Sebastiano Mercadante

Abstract readLetter
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Opioid-induced neurotoxicity after opioid conversion to methadone in patients with cancer pain using the stop-and-go method: A multicenter retrospective cohort study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
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

1 author.

Sebastiano MercadanteMain regional center for pain relief and supportive/palliative care, La Maddalena Cancer Center, Via San Lorenzo 312, Palermo, 90145, Italy. 03sebelle@mail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In a recent study methadone has been reported more effective witha 3-day switch (3DS) was more effective than the stop and go strategy (SAG). Many shorcomings, however, are of concerns. The poor selection fo patients with low level of pain intensity, the incomprehensibile choice of of SAG or 3DS, and considerations reported in a previous controlled study with evident methodological limits, make their conclusion inaccurate. Controlled studies are fundamental in research. However, a pragmatic approach reflecting daily practice should be carefully taken into consideration. A more flexible use of SAG strategy and strict clinical observation to change doses according to the clinical response may provide the optimal treatment in patients receiving high doses of opioids.

Indexed as

Analgesics, OpioidNeoplasmsHumansMethadonePain MeasurementPalliative CareAnalgesics, OpioidMethadoneCancer painMethnadoneOpioid switching or rotationPalliative care

Identifiers

PMID37280564
PMCPMC10245537

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.