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Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous (SC) methylnaltrexone for opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with and without active cancer. Patients and Methods: We analyzed two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 3/4 trials (NCT00402038, NCT00672477). Patients received SC methylnaltrexone (study 302, 0.15 mg/kg; study 4000, 8 mg or 12 mg based on body weight) or placebo every other day for 2 weeks. Patients were stratified by cancer status. Primary efficacy endpoints included proportion of patients achieving rescue-free laxation (RFL); secondary endpoints included time to RFL, pain intensity scores, and safety/tolerability. Trial results were evaluated separately. Results: The safety population (patients receiving [greater than or equal to]1 study drug dose) included 364 patients (study 302, n=134; study 4000, n=230). Study 302 had 78 patients with active cancer (methylnaltrexone, n=37; placebo, n=41) and 56 without cancer (methylnaltrexone, n=26; placebo, n=30); study 4000 had 152 patients with active cancer (methylnaltrexone, n=79; placebo, n=73) and 78 without cancer (methylnaltrexone, n=37; placebo, n=41). A significantly greater proportion of patients treated with methylnaltrexone achieved a laxation response within 4 hours after at least 2 of the first 4 doses versus placebo, dosed by body weight (cancer, 54.1% [methylnaltrexone] vs 7.3% [placebo], P<0.0001; noncancer, 48.0% vs 10.0%; P<0.005) or given as a weight-adjusted fixed dose (cancer, 59.5% vs 6.8%; noncancer, 70.3% vs 14.6%; P<0.0001 each). With fixed-dose methylnaltrexone, average time to RFL for patients with and without cancer was <1 hour of the first dose; with methylnaltrexone dosed by body weight, the first RFL occurred in <4 and <7 hours of treatment in patients with and without cancer, respectively. No significant differences were found in pain scores. SC methylnaltrexone was well tolerated at all doses in all patient cohorts. Conclusion: SC methylnaltrexone was efficacious in inducing rapid RFL and safe among patients with and without active cancer suffering from OIC. Keywords: methylnaltrexone, opioid-induced constipation, [micro]-opioid receptor antagonist, cancer, chronic pain

Opioid-induced constipation (OIC) is a common side effect of opioid therapy. Methylnaltrexone (MNTX) is a selective, peripherally acting μ-opioid receptor antagonist, with demonstrated efficacy in treating OIC. We pooled results from MNTX clinical trials to compare responses to an initial dose in patients with chronic cancer and noncancer pain. This post hoc analysis used pooled data from 3 randomized, placebo-controlled studies of MNTX in patients with advanced illness with OIC. Assessments included the proportions of patients achieving rescue-free laxation (RFL) within 4 and 24 hours of the first study drug dose, time to RFL, current and worst pain intensity, and adverse events, stratified by the presence/absence of cancer. A total of 355 patients with cancer (MNTX n = 198, placebo n = 157) and 163 without active cancer (MNTX n = 83; placebo n = 80) were included. More patients treated with MNTX compared with those who received placebo achieved an RFL within 4 (cancer: MNTX, 61.1% vs placebo,15.3%, <0.0001; noncancer: MNTX, 62.2% vs placebo, 17.5%, <0.0001) and 24 hours (cancer: MNTX, 71.2% vs placebo, 41.4%, <0.0001; noncancer: MNTX, 74.4% vs placebo, 37.5%, <0.0001) of the initial dose. Cumulative RFL response rates within 4 hours of the first, second, or third dose of study drug were also higher in MNTX-treated patients. The estimated time to RFL was shorter among those who received MNTX and similar in cancer and noncancer patients. Mean pain scores declined similarly in all groups. The most common adverse events in both cancer and noncancer patients were abdominal pain, flatulence, and nausea. After the first dose, MNTX rapidly induced a laxation response in the majority of both cancer and noncancer patients with advanced illness. Opioid-induced analgesia was not compromised, and adverse events were primarily gastrointestinal in nature. Methylnaltrexone is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for OIC in both cancer and noncancer patients.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous (SC) methylnaltrexone for opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with and without active cancer. We analyzed two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase 3/4 trials (NCT00402038, NCT00672477). Patients received SC methylnaltrexone (study 302, 0.15 mg/kg; study 4000, 8 mg or 12 mg based on body weight) or placebo every other day for 2 weeks. Patients were stratified by cancer status. Primary efficacy endpoints included proportion of patients achieving rescue-free laxation (RFL); secondary endpoints included time to RFL, pain intensity scores, and safety/tolerability. Trial results were evaluated separately. The safety population (patients receiving ≥1 study drug dose) included 364 patients (study 302, n=134; study 4000, n=230). Study 302 had 78 patients with active cancer (methylnaltrexone, n=37; placebo, n=41) and 56 without cancer (methylnaltrexone, n=26; placebo, n=30); study 4000 had 152 patients with active cancer (methylnaltrexone, n=79; placebo, n=73) and 78 without cancer (methylnaltrexone, n=37; placebo, n=41). A significantly greater proportion of patients treated with methylnaltrexone achieved a laxation response within 4 hours after at least 2 of the first 4 doses versus placebo, dosed by body weight (cancer, 54.1% [methylnaltrexone] vs 7.3% [placebo], <0.0001; noncancer, 48.0% vs 10.0%; <0.005) or given as a weight-adjusted fixed dose (cancer, 59.5% vs 6.8%; noncancer, 70.3% vs 14.6%; <0.0001 each). With fixed-dose methylnaltrexone, average time to RFL for patients with and without cancer was <1 hour of the first dose; with methylnaltrexone dosed by body weight, the first RFL occurred in <4 and <7 hours of treatment in patients with and without cancer, respectively. No significant differences were found in pain scores. SC methylnaltrexone was well tolerated at all doses in all patient cohorts. SC methylnaltrexone was efficacious in inducing rapid RFL and safe among patients with and without active cancer suffering from OIC.

Methylnaltrexone inhibits opioid-induced constipation (OIC) by binding to peripheral µ-opioid receptors without impacting central opioid receptor mediated analgesia. This analysis compared methylnaltrexone efficacy and safety among advanced illness patients with and without active cancer and OIC. This post hoc analysis included two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in adults with advanced illness and OIC who received subcutaneous methylnaltrexone. Efficacy endpoints included the proportion of patients achieving rescue-free laxation (RFL), time to RFL, weekly laxations within 24 hours after dosing, rescue laxative use, and pain scores. Adverse events were monitored for safety. After pooling, 178 patients received methylnaltrexone (n = 116 with cancer) and 185 received placebo (n = 114 with cancer). Median baseline daily opioid morphine equivalents (mg/d) were higher in cancer (methylnaltrexone: 180; placebo: 188) versus noncancer patients (methylnaltrexone: 120; placebo: 80). The proportions of patients achieving RFL within 4 hours after ≥2 of the first 4 doses were significantly greater with methylnaltrexone (cancer: 56.9%; noncancer: 58.1%) versus placebo (cancer: 5.3%; noncancer: 11.3%; < 0.0001). The median time to laxation within 24 hours after the first methylnaltrexone dose was significantly shorter in cancer and noncancer patients versus placebo (cancer: 0.96 vs 22.53 hours, < 0.0001; noncancer: 1.25 vs >24 hours, = 0.0002). The mean number of weekly laxations within 24 hours after dosing by week 2 was significantly higher in methylnaltrexone- vs placebo-treated cancer and noncancer patients (cancer: 7.9 vs 4.9, < 0.0001; noncancer: 8.4 vs 5.0, < 0.0001). Methylnaltrexone reduced rescue laxative use without impacting pain scores. Consistent with previous data, methylnaltrexone was well tolerated in cancer and noncancer patients, and the AE profile did not suggest symptoms of opioid withdrawal. Methylnaltrexone reduced RFL time in advanced-illness patients with and without active cancer, while maintaining pain control with opioid treatment despite higher baseline opioid use among cancer patients.

To evaluate methylnaltrexone for opioid-induced constipation in patients with and without cancer. This analysis comprises two Phase III, multicenter, double-blind, randomized studies of advanced-illness patients who received methylnaltrexone subcutaneous injection or placebo. Significantly more patients treated with methylnaltrexone than placebo experienced laxation within 4 (cancer = 55.5 vs 15.5%; noncancer = 55.6 vs 12.8%) and 24 (cancer = 64.7 vs 29.8%; noncancer = 64.4 vs 30.8%) h after the first dose (p < 0.01 vs placebo). Regardless of cancer status, methylnaltrexone reduced median time to laxation and improved constipation relief without impacting opioid analgesia or withdrawal symptoms. Methylnaltrexone provided significant improvements in opioid-induced constipation over placebo in advanced-illness patients with and without cancer. study 301: NCT00401362; study 302: NCT00402038.

Objective: To explore differences of self-perceived competencies, ethical concerns, knowledge, and attitudes regarding palliative care between medical students who took a palliative care rotation and those who did not. Methods: A mixed methods, non-experimental study utilizing convenient fourth year medical students answering a knowledge test, self-perceived competence test, and ethical concern, and attitudinal questions regarding palliative care. Results: Forty three medical students participated. Those who completed the palliative rotation had significantly (t = 41=3.56, p < 0.001) higher scores in overall knowledge. Factor analysis of the competence test yielded six factors with differences being observed in four factors. Only six questions yielded a high level of competency. For those who took the rotation, only two of the six questions were significant. For ethical concerns, the significant difference was noted only in the area of withdrawing artificial hydration. Students who completed the rotation reported a much broader understanding and application of palliative care concepts. Students who did not take the rotation had a narrow view of the benefits and application of palliative care, seeing application only in end of life situations. Conclusions: The information about palliative care is important during medical school; however, the information should be coupled with a formal palliative care rotation to best meet the needs of the seriously ill individual and family.

Chronic neuropathic pain poses a treatment challenge, and is associated with significant psychologic distress, physical disability, and impaired functioning, which impact the activities of daily living. Efforts to provide relief are often inadequate and/or require polypharmacy. This has spurred interest among researchers and clinicians alike to develop early, intensive treatments that target the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in pain transduction, transmission, and modulation, or ideally, that prevent neuropathic pain from occurring in the first place. Currently, researchers are attempting to capitalize on our understanding of neuropathic pain pathophysiology to develop drugs that interrupt distinct activities involved in its perpetuation. In this regard, several potential agents (eg, NMDA and AMPA/kainate antagonists) are in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials. In the interim, evolving data and evidence-based neuropathic treatment recommendations provide guidance for selecting first- and second-line medications that alone or in combination offer acceptable neuropathic pain control and allow clinicians to bridge the gap between current knowledge and its application in the clinical setting. Hopefully, as basic and clinical science progresses, further treatment advances and management tools will be found to improve the care of patients who live with neuropathic pain.