Efficacy of oxycodone in sustained-release, divisible tablet in the therapy of pain prescribed by palliative medicine physicians and oncologists in daily clinical practice

The aim of the study
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of oxycodone sustained-release, divisible tablets in pain treatment in daily clinical practice.

Material and methods
Seventy-four oncologists and 34 palliative medicine physicians surveyed 1760 outpatients with pain of different aetiologies, persisting in 1198 for more than three months, treated with oxycodone sustained-release divisible tablets over three consecutive visits. Analgesic efficacy and the effect of pain on daily activities were measured using visual analogue scales. Suitability of oxycodone tablet splitting was assessed with a four-point scale.

Results
Oxycodone sustained-release, divisible tablets were mainly used for cancer pain treatment (95.7%). Higher drug doses were recommended by palliative medicine physicians than by oncologists at baseline (47.5 ±43.7 mg vs. 43.8 ±32.6 mg; p < 0.001) and at the end of follow-up (60.9 ±53.4 mg vs. 53.1 ±38.9 mg; p < 0.001). At the beginning of follow-up, the severity of pain was comparable in patients treated by oncologists and palliative medicine physicians. During 64 ±28 days of follow-up, the efficacy of analgesic therapy increased slightly more among patients treated by palliative medicine physicians and was associated with a significantly reduced effect of pain on patients’ daily activities. The percentage of palliative medicine physicians (and their patients) who appreciated the advantage of oxycodone tablet splitting at dosage adjustment increased during follow-up. At its end, over 70% of palliative medicine physicians and oncologists, and their patients, appreciated this advantage.

Conclusions
Palliative medicine physicians obtain greater analgesic efficacy of oxycodone sustained-release tablets in the therapy of pain than oncologists. Oxycodone sustained-release tablet splitting for dose adjustment is appreciated by the majority of physicians and their patients.