High dose of buprenorphine in terminally ill patient with liver failure: Efficacy and tolerability

Authors

  • Alessandra Ciccozzi, MD
  • Chiara Angeletti, MD
  • Giada Baldascino, MD
  • Emiliano Petrucci, MD
  • Cristina Bonetti, MD
  • Stefania De Santis, MD
  • Antonella Paladini, MD
  • Giustino Varrassi, PhD
  • Franco Marinangeli, MD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jom.2012.0123

Keywords:

terminal-illness, pain management, buprenorphine, palliative care

Abstract

Pain in terminally ill patients with cancer can be often hard to manage, due to the unpredictable kinetics of drugs caused by progressive kidney and liver dysfunction. Plasma concentrations of active metabolites–also a cause of dangerous side effects–could be difficult to estimate. This case report holds the idea that buprenorphine, a partial agonist of µ-receptors, even at high dosage, may be effective and safe to use in terminally ill patients with significant liver and kidney impairment.

Author Biographies

Alessandra Ciccozzi, MD

Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy; V.A.DO. Onlus (Charity-based Domiciliary Care), L’Aquila, Italy

Chiara Angeletti, MD

Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; V.A.DO. Onlus (Charity-based Domiciliary Care), L'Aquila, Italy

Giada Baldascino, MD

Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; V.A.DO. Onlus (Charity-based Domiciliary Care), L'Aquila, Italy

Emiliano Petrucci, MD

Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; V.A.DO. Onlus (Charity-based Domiciliary Care), L'Aquila, Italy

Cristina Bonetti, MD

Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; V.A.DO. Onlus (Charity-based Domiciliary Care), L'Aquila, Italy

Stefania De Santis, MD

Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; V.A.DO. Onlus (Charity-based Domiciliary Care), L'Aquila, Italy

Antonella Paladini, MD

Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; V.A.DO. Onlus (Charity-based Domiciliary Care), L'Aquila, Italy

Giustino Varrassi, PhD

ASL Teramo, National Health Care Service, Teramo, Italy.

 

Franco Marinangeli, MD

Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy; V.A.DO. Onlus (Charity-based Domiciliary Care), L'Aquila, Italy

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Published

07/01/2012

How to Cite

Ciccozzi, MD, A., C. Angeletti, MD, G. Baldascino, MD, E. Petrucci, MD, C. Bonetti, MD, S. De Santis, MD, A. Paladini, MD, G. Varrassi, PhD, and F. Marinangeli, MD. “High Dose of Buprenorphine in Terminally Ill Patient With Liver Failure: Efficacy and Tolerability”. Journal of Opioid Management, vol. 8, no. 4, July 2012, pp. 253-9, doi:10.5055/jom.2012.0123.

Issue

Section

Case Studies