TY - JOUR
T1 - Epidemiology and pattern of care of breakthrough cancer pain in a longitudinal sample of cancer patients
T2 - Results from the cancer pain outcome research study group
AU - Greco, Maria Teresa
AU - Corli, Oscar
AU - Montanari, Mauro
AU - Deandrea, Silvia
AU - Zagonel, Vittorina
AU - Apolone, Giovanni
PY - 2011/1
Y1 - 2011/1
N2 - Objective: Breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) is a frequent event in cancer patients, with a prevalence from 19% to 95%. The reasons for such variability are explained by several factors, including different definitions across studies. In the framework of a wider initiative, we have analyzed the epidemiology of BTcP and identified factors associated with the pattern of care. Methods:: This study reports the results from a multicenter, prospective, nonrandomized, longitudinal study carried out in Italy between 2006 and 2007 on patients with cancer and pain. Transient exacerbations of pain were assessed with 3 different questions, and 1 composite variable to operationally define BTcP was then used as main outcome. After univariate analysis, a logistic model was also fitted to identify prognostic and predictive factors. RESULTS: One hundred and ten centers recruited 1801 cases of which 40.3% had BTcP at baseline. Most patients did not receive rescue therapy at the time of study inclusion. Univariate analysis identified several associations with clinical variables. A strong association has been also found with the type of recruiting centers, with oncologic wards reporting a somewhat lower proportion of patients with BTcP (-30%) when compared with palliative centers.Patients with BTcP had a high probability of dying (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.7, P-value 0.006) and to change of the opioid with another for analgesic failure or for side effects (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 1.0-1.9, P-value 0.040) DISCUSSION: These findings confirm the high prevalence of BTcP and substantial undertreatment and identify a few factors associated with prevalence and prognosis.
AB - Objective: Breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP) is a frequent event in cancer patients, with a prevalence from 19% to 95%. The reasons for such variability are explained by several factors, including different definitions across studies. In the framework of a wider initiative, we have analyzed the epidemiology of BTcP and identified factors associated with the pattern of care. Methods:: This study reports the results from a multicenter, prospective, nonrandomized, longitudinal study carried out in Italy between 2006 and 2007 on patients with cancer and pain. Transient exacerbations of pain were assessed with 3 different questions, and 1 composite variable to operationally define BTcP was then used as main outcome. After univariate analysis, a logistic model was also fitted to identify prognostic and predictive factors. RESULTS: One hundred and ten centers recruited 1801 cases of which 40.3% had BTcP at baseline. Most patients did not receive rescue therapy at the time of study inclusion. Univariate analysis identified several associations with clinical variables. A strong association has been also found with the type of recruiting centers, with oncologic wards reporting a somewhat lower proportion of patients with BTcP (-30%) when compared with palliative centers.Patients with BTcP had a high probability of dying (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.7, P-value 0.006) and to change of the opioid with another for analgesic failure or for side effects (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 1.0-1.9, P-value 0.040) DISCUSSION: These findings confirm the high prevalence of BTcP and substantial undertreatment and identify a few factors associated with prevalence and prognosis.
KW - breakthrough cancer pain
KW - epidemiology
KW - pattern of care
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U2 - 10.1097/AJP.0b013e3181edc250
DO - 10.1097/AJP.0b013e3181edc250
M3 - Article
C2 - 20842024
AN - SCOPUS:78650908300
VL - 27
SP - 9
EP - 18
JO - Clinical Journal of Pain
JF - Clinical Journal of Pain
SN - 0749-8047
IS - 1
ER -