OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of IV morphine on central pain syndromes through quantitative sensory testing and to assess the long-term benefit of oral morphine. METHODS: After an initial open titration phase aiming to determine the maximal tolerated dosage of IV morphine, the efficacy of morphine infusion (9-30 mg; mean dosage, 16 mg) was assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled and crossover fashion in 15 patients with poststroke- (6 patients) or spinal cord injury- (9 patients) related pain. All of the patients subsequently received sustained oral morphine. RESULTS:Morphine significantly reduced the intensity of brush-induced allodynia but had no effect on other evoked pains (i.e., static mechanical and thermal allodynia/hyperalgesia). The effects of morphine on ongoing pain were not significantly different from those of the placebo, but 7 patients (46%) responded to morphine. There was a correlation between the effects of morphine on spontaneous pain and the decrease of the responses to suprathreshold thermal stimuli on the nonpainful contralateral side, suggesting that these effects were related to the general antinociceptive activity of the drug. The effects of IV morphine were correlated with those of oral morphine at 1 month, but only 3 patients (20%) were still taking morphine after 1 year. CONCLUSIONS:IV morphine induces analgesic effects on some components of central neuropathic pain syndromes, but only a minority of patients may benefit from long-term opioid treatment.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of IV morphine on central pain syndromes through quantitative sensory testing and to assess the long-term benefit of oral morphine. METHODS: After an initial open titration phase aiming to determine the maximal tolerated dosage of IV morphine, the efficacy of morphine infusion (9-30 mg; mean dosage, 16 mg) was assessed in a double-blind, placebo-controlled and crossover fashion in 15 patients with poststroke- (6 patients) or spinal cord injury- (9 patients) related pain. All of the patients subsequently received sustained oral morphine. RESULTS:Morphine significantly reduced the intensity of brush-induced allodynia but had no effect on other evoked pains (i.e., static mechanical and thermal allodynia/hyperalgesia). The effects of morphine on ongoing pain were not significantly different from those of the placebo, but 7 patients (46%) responded to morphine. There was a correlation between the effects of morphine on spontaneous pain and the decrease of the responses to suprathreshold thermal stimuli on the nonpainful contralateral side, suggesting that these effects were related to the general antinociceptive activity of the drug. The effects of IV morphine were correlated with those of oral morphine at 1 month, but only 3 patients (20%) were still taking morphine after 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: IV morphine induces analgesic effects on some components of central neuropathic pain syndromes, but only a minority of patients may benefit from long-term opioid treatment.
Authors: Robert W Teasell; Swati Mehta; Jo-Anne L Aubut; Brianne Foulon; Dalton L Wolfe; Jane T C Hsieh; Andrea F Townson; Christine Short Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2010-05 Impact factor: 3.966
Authors: Tess E Cooper; Junqiao Chen; Philip J Wiffen; Sheena Derry; Daniel B Carr; Dominic Aldington; Peter Cole; R Andrew Moore Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2017-05-22
Authors: Radi Masri; Raimi L Quiton; Jessica M Lucas; Peter D Murray; Scott M Thompson; Asaf Keller Journal: J Neurophysiol Date: 2009-04-29 Impact factor: 2.714
Authors: Thomas N Bryce; Cecilia Norrbrink Budh; Diana D Cardenas; Marcel Dijkers; Elizabeth R Felix; Nanna B Finnerup; Paul Kennedy; Thomas Lundeberg; J Scott Richards; Diana H Rintala; Philip Siddall; Eva Widerstrom-Noga Journal: J Spinal Cord Med Date: 2007 Impact factor: 1.985