A randomized, double-blind comparison of OROSĀ® hydromorphone and controlled-release morphine for the control of chronic cancer pain
2008

Comparing Hydromorphone and Morphine for Cancer Pain

Sample size: 200 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

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)

10.1186/1472-684X-7-17

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