Patient-reported health-related quality of life, work productivity, and activity impairment during treatment with ALO-02 (extended-release oxycodone and sequestered naltrexone) for moderate-to-severe chronic low back pain.

Background: The efficacy of ALO-02, an abuse-deterrent formulation containing extended-release oxycodone and sequestered naltrexone, in the treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP) was studied in a 12-week randomized controlled trial. Primary efficacy endpoint results have been published previously (Rauck et al., 2015).

Diagnosis and treatment of low-back pain because of paraspinous muscle spasm: a physician roundtable.

Background: Despite the availability of evidence-based guidelines to diagnose and treat acute low-back pain, practical application is nonuniform and physician uncertainty regarding best practices is widespread.

Objective: The objective of this study was to further optimal treatment choices for screening, diagnosing, and treating acute low-back pain caused by paraspinous muscle spasm.

Methods: Four experts in pain medicine (three family physicians and one physiatrist) participated in a roundtable conference call on October 18, 2010, to examine current common practices and guidelines for diagnosing and treating acute low-back pain and to offer commentary and examples from their clinical experience.

Efficacy of subcutaneous methylnaltrexone in the treatment of opioid-induced constipation: a responder post hoc analysis.

Objective: Methylnaltrexone, a selective peripherally acting mu-opioid receptor antagonist, effectively treats opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with advanced illness and shows efficacy in patients with chronic nonmalignant pain. The objective was to identify patients who achieved maximal treatment effect based on response to initial four methylnaltrexone doses.

Design: A post hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating patients with OIC and chronic nonmalignant pain who received 12 mg subcutaneous methylnaltrexone daily for 4 weeks was performed to determine if response to the first four methylnaltrexone doses predicted overall response during the study.

High molecular weight hyaluronan for treatment of chronic shoulder pain associated with glenohumeral arthritis.

Background: There is insufficient evidence to determine whether intra-articular injections may be effective for treatment of glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Euflexxa(®) (high molecular weight hyaluronate), a bioengineered high molecular weight hyaluronan, has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for patients with knee osteoarthritis. There is also support for the use of hyaluronate injection for the treatment of chronic shoulder pain associated with osteoarthritis or rotator cuff damage.

Efficacy and tolerability of cyclobenzaprine extended release for acute muscle spasm: a pooled analysis.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of once-daily cyclobenzaprine extended release (CER) 15 and 30 mg in relieving acute muscle spasm.

Methods: This is a pooled analysis of 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group studies of identical design. Adults with local muscle spasm associated with neck/low back pain were randomized to treatment with once-daily CER 15 (n = 127) or 30 mg (n = 126), cyclobenzaprine immediate release (CIR) 10 mg 3 times daily (n = 123), or placebo (n = 128) for 14 days.

Factors affecting dosing regimens of morphine sulfate extended-release (KADIAN) capsules.

Although most extended-release morphine formulations are indicated for use once-daily (q24h) or twice-daily (q12h), KADIAN (morphine sulfate extended-release) capsules, which contain polymer-coated, extended-release morphine sulfate pellets, are indicated for q24h and q12h dosing. This analysis identified factors that might impact decisions to choose q24h or q12h regimens for patients with chronic, nonmalignant pain. Data were obtained from a supplemental analysis of the KRONUS-MSP trial, a community-based, open-label, 4-week study in which patients with chronic, nonmalignant pain (N = 1,428) were randomized to KADIAN q24h dosed either AM or PM.

Cyclobenzaprine ER for muscle spasm associated with low back and neck pain: two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of identical design.

Objective: To evaluate efficacy and tolerability of once-daily cyclobenzaprine extended release (CER) 15- and 30-mg capsules in patients with muscle spasm associated with acute, painful musculoskeletal conditions.

Methods: Two identically designed, randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled, parallel-group studies in patients aged 18-75 years with muscle spasm associated with neck or back pain. Patients received CER 15 or 30 mg once daily, cyclobenzaprine immediate release (CIR) 10 mg three times daily, or placebo for 14 days.

Effectiveness of polymer-coated extended-release morphine sulfate capsules in older patients with persistent moderate-to-severe pain: A subgroup analysis of a large, open-label, community-based trial.

Unlabelled: Abstract.

Background: Opioid analgesics may offer benefits over nonopioids in some older patients, especially those with moderate-to-severe pain. Polymer-coated extended-release morphine sulfate (P-ERMS) has been found to be efficacious and well tolerated in patients with chronic, moderate-to-severe, nonmalignant pain when used QD or BID.

Randomized trial comparing polymer-coated extended-release morphine sulfate to controlled-release oxycodone HCl in moderate to severe nonmalignant pain.

Objective: To assess the long-term efficacy, tolerability and safety of polymer-coated extended-release morphine sulfate (P-ERMS) (KADIAN) compared with controlled-release oxycodone HCl (CRO) (OxyContin) in treating chronic, nonmalignant, moderate to severe pain in a community-based outpatient population.

Design: Phase IV, prospective, randomized, open-label.

Participants: Adults (N = 112) with chronic, nonmalignant, moderate to severe pain with visual numeric scale (VNS) scores > or = 4 (0 = no pain; 10 = worst pain).

Treatment of chronic moderate-to-severe non-malignant pain with polymer-coated extended-release morphine sulfate capsules.

Objective: To demonstrate the efficacy and tolerability of polymer-coated extended-release morphine sulfate (P-ERMS)(KADIAN) for the treatment of chronic, moderate-to-severe, non-malignant pain in a community-based outpatient population not satisfactorily relieved with their current therapies.

Design: Phase IV, prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint.

Participants: Adults (N = 1428) with chronic, moderate-to-severe, non-malignant pain with visual numeric scale scores >or= 4 (0 = no pain; 10 = worst pain).