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Table 2 Pain and opioid doses

From: Continuous subcutaneous infusion for pain control in dying patients: experiences from a tertiary palliative care center

 

Total cohort

Main study group,3 days of survival

Total

Methadone in CSCI

No methadone in CSCI

 

n = 93

n = 47 (13 + 34)

n = 13

n = 34

 

Day 0

Day 0

Day 3

Day 0

Day 3

Day 0

Day 3

Level of pain (0–4)a

 Mean (SD)

2.2 (1.1)

2.2 (1.2)

1.5 (1.2)***

2.9 (1.0)

2.1 (1.3)*

2.0 (1.1)

1.2 (1.1)***

 Median (IQR)

2 (2)

2 (2)

2 (2)

3 (1)

2 (2)

2 (2)

1 (1)

 Severe to overwhelming pain (scores 3–4) n (%)

39 (42)

21 (45)

9 (19)***

10 (77)

6 (46)*

11 (32)

3 (9)***

MEDDb of opioids, mg

 Mean (SD)

179 (175)

184 (181)

205 (182)*

306 (257)

354 (225)

133 (108)

142 (116)*

 Median (IQR)

120 (169)

123 (151)

150 (210)

240 (310)

300 (193)

113 (120)

105 (125)

 Range

22.5–1020

22.5–1020

30–870

22.5–1020

75–870

30–435

30–563

Methadone, mg

 Mean (SD)

5.5 (4.6)

7.5 (4.8)

7.7 (4.5)

 Median (IQR)

5 (7.5)

5 (5)

5 (5)

 Range

0–20

2.5–20

5–20

  1. aOrdinal scale from 0 (not at all affected by pain) to 4 (overwhelmingly)
  2. bTotal morphine equivalent (oral) daily doses
  3. Significance of difference from day 0 to day 3:*p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; ***p ≤ 0.001. The comparisons are made for the main study group (n = 47), for the MET group (n = 13) and the NMET group (n = 34), respectively
  4. The table refers partly to the situation at the day for start of the continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSCI), and partly 3 days later. It is divided into the different groups analyzed in the study, i.e. the total cohort which is all 93 patients who received CSCI from day 0 and the 47 patients who survived at least 3 days and who make up the main study group. The 13 patients in the main study group who were prescribed methadone in CSCI are the MET group and the 34 who were not prescribed methadone are the NMET group. The table shows levels of pain at the different times, and also the doses of opioids that the patients were prescribed, including methadone.
  5. (n number of patients, SD standard deviation, IQR inter quartile range)