The role of methadone
Findings
Methadone has often been viewed as an alternative to
oral morphine but its specifi c pharmacokinetic characteristics
and a very long and unpredictable half-life43
require careful individualisation of dosing schedules.
Oral methadone is the drug most frequently considered
as an option in the practice of opioid switching. In a
systematic review by the Cochrane Collaboration,52 which
was updated by Cherny,22 only three RCTs50,53,54 involving
277 patients addressed the comparison of methadone
with another step III opioid (one study had a third group
receiving transdermal fentanyl). The drugs did not diff er
in effi cacy between patients who were treated with step II
opioids or were opioid naive. In one study methadone
was associated with a higher incidence of sedation, which
led to a high percentage of patients dropping out because
of adverse eff ects.53 In a previous study, four (15%) of
26 versus two (8%) of 26 patients in the methadone and
diamorphine plus cocaine groups, respectively, withdrew
because of sedation.55
Although methodological limitations were found in
these three studies, data consistently show no signifi cant
diff erences in analgesic effi cacy between methadone and
morphine; the evidence of more frequent CNS sideeff
ects (sedation) with methadone is not consistent across
studies. Methadone should be considered an alternative
to other oral step III opioids.
The role of methadoneFindingsMethadone has often been viewed as an alternative tooral morphine but its specifi c pharmacokinetic characteristicsand a very long and unpredictable half-life43require careful individualisation of dosing schedules.Oral methadone is the drug most frequently consideredas an option in the practice of opioid switching. In asystematic review by the Cochrane Collaboration,52 whichwas updated by Cherny,22 only three RCTs50,53,54 involving277 patients addressed the comparison of methadonewith another step III opioid (one study had a third groupreceiving transdermal fentanyl). The drugs did not diff erin effi cacy between patients who were treated with step IIopioids or were opioid naive. In one study methadonewas associated with a higher incidence of sedation, whichled to a high percentage of patients dropping out becauseof adverse eff ects.53 In a previous study, four (15%) of26 versus two (8%) of 26 patients in the methadone anddiamorphine plus cocaine groups, respectively, withdrewbecause of sedation.55Although methodological limitations were found inthese three studies, data consistently show no signifi cantdiff erences in analgesic effi cacy between methadone andmorphine; the evidence of more frequent CNS sideeffects (sedation) with methadone is not consistent acrossstudies. Methadone should be considered an alternativeto other oral step III opioids.
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