Respiratory Effects of the Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ Peptide and Opioid Receptor Agonist, Cebranopadol, in Healthy Human Volunteers.

Background: Cebranopadol is a novel strong analgesic that coactivates the nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor and classical opioid receptors. There are indications that activation of the nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor is related to ceiling in respiratory depression. In this phase 1 clinical trial, we performed a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic study to quantify cebranopadol's respiratory effects.

Fentanyl utility function: a risk-benefit composite of pain relief and breathing responses.

Introduction: Integrating opioid risk and benefit into a single function may give a useful single measure of the opioid's positive and negative effects. An explorative study on the effects of fentanyl on antinociception and respiratory depression was performed to construct fentanyl risk-benefit (utility) functions.

Methods: Twelve volunteers received a 3.