Comparing Hydromorphone and Morphine for Cancer Pain
Author Information
Author(s): Hanna Magdi, Thipphawong John
Primary Institution: King's College Hospital, King's College London, UK
Hypothesis
The study aimed to demonstrate the clinical equivalence of immediate-release and sustained-release formulations of hydromorphone and morphine for chronic cancer pain.
Conclusion
Immediate-release hydromorphone is equivalent to immediate-release morphine for pain relief, but sustained-release hydromorphone is not equivalent to controlled-release morphine.
Supporting Evidence
- Immediate-release formulations of hydromorphone and morphine were found to be equivalent in pain relief.
- Over 70% of patients and investigators rated both treatments as good to excellent.
- The safety profiles of hydromorphone and morphine were similar and typical of opioid analgesics.
Takeaway
This study looked at two types of pain medications for cancer pain and found that one type worked just as well as the other, but a longer-lasting version didn't work the same way.
Methodology
The study was a multicenter, phase III, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, parallel-group trial involving 200 patients with chronic cancer pain.
Potential Biases
Withdrawal due to lack of efficacy was more common in patients randomized to hydromorphone compared to morphine.
Limitations
The study had a relatively poor completion rate, with only 60.6% of patients completing both treatment phases.
Participant Demographics
The mean age of participants was 59.8 years, with 98.5% being Caucasian and 51% female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0372
Confidence Interval
95% CI (-1.6, -0.01)
Statistical Significance
p = 0.0372
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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