Q Liu1,2, L-L Gao1, Y-L Dai1, Y-X Li1, Y Wang1, C-F Bai1, G-X Mu1, X-M Chai1, W-J Han3, L-J Zhou4, Y-J Zhang5, L Tang6, J Liu1,2, J-Q Yu7. 1. School of Nursing, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China. 2. School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China. 3. Department of Nursing, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China. 4. Institute of Translational Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China. 5. Department of Medical Oncology, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China. 6. Department of Anesthesiology, General Hospital of Jinan Military Command, Jinan, China. 7. Department of Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Institute of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a fixed nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture for the management of breakthrough cancer pain. METHODS/ DESIGN: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was undertaken in the Medical ward of Tumor Hospital of General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University. 240 cancer patients with breakthrough pain were recruited and randomly received a standard pain treatment (morphine sulphate immediate release) plus a pre-prepared nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture, or the standard pain treatment plus oxygen. The primary endpoint measure was the numerical rating scale (NRS) score measured at baseline, 5 and 15 min after the beginning of treatment, and at 5 min post treatment. RESULT: In all, analysis of pain score (NRS) at 5 min after the beginning of treatment shown a significant decrease in nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture treated patients with 2.8 ± 1.3 versus 5.5 ± 1.2 in controls (p < 0.01). At 15 min during the intervention, the mean pain score for nitrous oxide/oxygen was 2.0 ± 1.1 compared with 5.6 ± 1.3 for oxygen (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study shows that self-administered nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture was effective in reducing moderate to severe breakthrough pain among patients with cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: The management of breakthrough cancer pain is always a challenge due to its temporal characteristics of rapid onset, moderate to severe in intensity, short duration (median 30-60 min). Our study find that self-administered nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture was effective in reducing moderate to severe breakthrough cancer pain.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a fixed nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture for the management of breakthrough cancer pain. METHODS/ DESIGN: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was undertaken in the Medical ward of Tumor Hospital of General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University. 240 cancerpatients with breakthrough pain were recruited and randomly received a standard pain treatment (morphine sulphate immediate release) plus a pre-prepared nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture, or the standard pain treatment plus oxygen. The primary endpoint measure was the numerical rating scale (NRS) score measured at baseline, 5 and 15 min after the beginning of treatment, and at 5 min post treatment. RESULT: In all, analysis of pain score (NRS) at 5 min after the beginning of treatment shown a significant decrease in nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture treated patients with 2.8 ± 1.3 versus 5.5 ± 1.2 in controls (p < 0.01). At 15 min during the intervention, the mean pain score for nitrous oxide/oxygen was 2.0 ± 1.1 compared with 5.6 ± 1.3 for oxygen (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study shows that self-administered nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture was effective in reducing moderate to severe breakthrough pain among patients with cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: The management of breakthrough cancer pain is always a challenge due to its temporal characteristics of rapid onset, moderate to severe in intensity, short duration (median 30-60 min). Our study find that self-administered nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture was effective in reducing moderate to severe breakthrough cancer pain.
Authors: Andrea Furka; Csaba Simkó; László Kostyál; Imre Szabó; Anikó Valikovics; Gábor Fekete; Ilona Tornyi; Endre Oross; János Révész Journal: Cancers (Basel) Date: 2022-02-25 Impact factor: 6.575