(HealthDay)—In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), opioids can improve breathlessness, but not exercise capacity, according to a review published online March 24 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Magnus Ekström, M.D., Ph.D., from Lund University in Sweden, and colleagues examined the efficacy and safety of opioids on refractory breathlessness, exercise capacity, and health-related quality of life in COPD. Data were included from 16 studies (15 crossover trials and one parallel group study), including 271 participants (95 percent with severe COPD).
The researchers found that there were no reports of serious adverse effects. Reductions in breathlessness were seen with opioids overall (standardized mean difference [SMD], −0.35), systemic opioids (SMD, −0.34), and, less consistently, with nebulized opioids (SMD, −0.39). According to GRADE, the quality of evidence was moderate for systemic opioids and low for nebulized opioids. Opioids had no impact on exercise capacity (SMD, 0.06). In sensitivity analyses, findings were robust.
"In severe COPD, low-dose opioids reduced breathlessness, with the strongest evidence for systemic therapy, whereas exercise capacity was not affected," the authors write.
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(HealthDay)—In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), opioids can improve breathlessness, but not exercise capacity, according to a review published online March 24 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
Magnus Ekström, M.D., Ph.D., from Lund University in Sweden, and colleagues examined the efficacy and safety of opioids on refractory breathlessness, exercise capacity, and health-related quality of life in COPD. Data were included from 16 studies (15 crossover trials and one parallel group study), including 271 participants (95 percent with severe COPD).
The researchers found that there were no reports of serious adverse effects. Reductions in breathlessness were seen with opioids overall (standardized mean difference [SMD], −0.35), systemic opioids (SMD, −0.34), and, less consistently, with nebulized opioids (SMD, −0.39). According to GRADE, the quality of evidence was moderate for systemic opioids and low for nebulized opioids. Opioids had no impact on exercise capacity (SMD, 0.06). In sensitivity analyses, findings were robust.
"In severe COPD, low-dose opioids reduced breathlessness, with the strongest evidence for systemic therapy, whereas exercise capacity was not affected," the authors write.
Explore further: Evidence lacking for long-term opioid use in low back pain
More information: Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Copyright © 2015 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Medical Xpress on facebook
Related Stories
Opioids effective in relieving severe shortness of breath in COPD patients
Patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and shortness of breath found that opioids provided relief and improved their quality of life, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). ...
Evidence lacking for long-term opioid use in low back pain
(HealthDay)—There is evidence of short-term efficacy (moderate for pain and small for function) of opioids for treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP) compared with placebo; however, the effectiveness ...
NIH: Insufficient evidence for opioid use in chronic pain
(HealthDay)—Evidence is insufficient for opioid use in chronic pain, according to a position paper published online Jan. 13 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Movantik approved for constipation from opioids
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Prescription opioids involved in most overdoses seen in emergency departments
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Naming a brand drug is a lot harder than it used to be.
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Clad in white lab coats, blue gloves and safety goggles, scientists are buzzing around a lab at Hospira in this suburb north of Chicago.
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