Curative effect of oxycodone sustained-release tablets combined with duloxetine versus paroxetine in treatment of depression and pain from advanced cancer

Abstract

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of oxycodone sustained-release tablets combined with different types of antidepressants (duloxetine and paroxetine) in the patients suffering from depression and pain due to advanced cancer. Methods A total of 108 depressive patients with advanced cancer pain in admitted in Hubei Third People's Hospital from July 2018 to September 2019 were recruited in this study. They were divided into 3 groups single-blindly and randomly, with 36 subjects in each group. The patients from Group A were given oxycodone sustained-release tablets only, those out of Group B the tablets+paroxetine, and those of Group C the tablets+duloxetine. Pain relief, depression, anxiety, dose of oxycodone, sleep quality, quality of life and adverse reactions were compared among the 3 groups after treatment. Results After treatment of 1 week, the numeric rating scale (NRS) score of Group C was significantly lower than those of Group B and A (P 0. 05), and all of these scores were notably lower than those of Group A (P 0.05). The score of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) were remarkably decreased in the 3 groups after treatment (P 0.05), and the scores were significantly higher than those of Group A (P 0.05), and were gradually reduced or disappeared after symptomatic treatment or dose adjustment. Conclusion In the treatment of depressive patients with pain from advanced cancer, oxycodone sustained-release tablets combined with duloxetine is superior to paroxetine in quick onset, effective improvement of pain, depression, anxiety and quality of sleep and life, and reduced dose of oxycodone, and does not increase adverse reactions.

Keywords

• cancer pain
• depression
• duloxetine hydrochloride
• paroxetine
• oxycodone
• anti-depressive agents