Clinical therapeutics
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Clinical therapeutics · Feb 2005
Comparative StudyEquipotent doses of transdermal fentanyl and transdermal buprenorphine in patients with cancer and noncancer pain: results of a retrospective cohort study.
The equipotency ratio of transdermal (TD) fentanyl to oral morphine has been established as 1:100; for buprenorphine TD, a ratio of 1:75 has been proposed, although this ratio has not been confirmed in clinical studies. Growing evidence from clinical practice, in which much lower doses of buprenorphine are used, suggests that this conversion ratio may be too high. ⋯ The fact that this retrospective analysis conducted in identical cohorts showed lower calculated equipotent oral morphine doses in the buprenorphine TD groups compared with the fentanyl TD groups calls into question the proposed 1:75 ratio for conversion of buprenorphine TD to equipotent oral morphine doses. Based on the findings of the present study, an equipotency ratio of 1:110 to 1:115 may be more appropriate. However, confirmative data from prospective randomized clinical trials are needed.
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Clinical therapeutics · Feb 2005
Topical retinoids in inflammatory acne: a retrospective, investigator-blinded, vehicle-controlled, photographic assessment.
Despite published data showing the efficacy of topical retinoids in treating inflammatory acne, in clinical practice topical retinoids tend to be used most commonly for noninflammatory acne. ⋯ : The results of this study suggest that topical retinoid monotherapy can achieve clinically significant improvements in inflammatory acne.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical TrialCombination oxycodone 5 mg/ibuprofen 400 mg for the treatment of pain after abdominal or pelvic surgery in women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled parallel-group study.
The sensation of pain arises from both central and peripheral sites, and inflammation may be one of its underlying causes. Combination therapy with analgesic agents having multimodal mechanisms of action and complementary pharmacokinetic properties enhances pain relief by addressing the different pathways of pain while limiting individual drug doses and, therefore, the potential for adverse effects caused by any single agent. Oxycodone and ibuprofen each have been used effectively as monotherapy and in other combinations for the treatment of acute pain; a fixed combination of these analgesics may improve pain relief in the setting of abdominal or pelvic surgery, where trauma and any resultant inflammation may be present at the same time. ⋯ In this population of women who had undergone abdominal or pelvic surgery, the combination of oxycodone 5 mg/ibuprofen 400 mg was significantly more effective than either agent alone or placebo in the treatment of moderate to severe postoperative pain.
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Clinical therapeutics · Jan 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical TrialEfficacy and tolerability of lumiracoxib in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: a 13-week, randomized, double-blind comparison with celecoxib and placebo.
Lumiracoxib is a cyclooxygenase-2-selective inhibitor developed for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis, and acute pain. ⋯ In this population of patients with OA of the knee, lumiracoxib 100 mg QD was of similar efficacy to celecoxib 200 mg QD and had similar tolerability to placebo.