Study design: A 3-month follow-up, observational, prospective, multicenter, study in traumatic spinal cord-injured (SCI) patients with neuropathic pain (NP). Objectives: To assess the effectiveness and safety of oxycodone treatment in SCI patients with anticonvulsants-refractory NP. Setting: 'Spinal injury follow-up units' throughout Spain. Methods: Data regarding NP characteristics were collated from male and female adults with traumatic SCI and difficult-to-control central NP of moderate-to-severe intensity (visual analog scale (VAS) X4) persisting X1 month, who had been para-or tetraplegic for X2 months, had been previously treated with anticonvulsants and were now treated with oxycodone. Results: In all, 54 out of the 57 patients recruited were assessable. A total of 81% were men and the mean age was 46.4. Patients were treated with oxycodone, 83% combined with anticonvulsant. Pain intensity (VAS: 7.1 ± 1.3-4.3 ± 1.7) and Lattinen total score (13.2 ± 3-7.7 ± 3.4) decreased significantly (Po0.001) along the study. No patient got worse regarding pain impact on physical activity and on sleep (Lattinen scale). EQ-5D VAS showed a trend to increase (P ¼ 0.061) and the index of preference values increased significantly from baseline to month 3 (0.26-0.62; Po0.001). A total of 53.7% patients showed at least one treatment-related adverse event, with constipation being the most frequent one (33.3%). Conclusion: Oxycodone treatment, mostly in combination with anticonvulsants, in SCI patients with NP decreases pain intensity, improves health-related quality of life and diminishes the impact of pain on physical activity and sleep. Sponsorship: This study has been sponsored by Mundipharma, SL, Madrid, Spain.
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