MULTIDOSE-OBSERVATIONAL, COMPARATIVE CLINICAL ANALGETIC EVALUATION OF BUPRENORPHINE

Patients (98) completed a double-blind, multidose, randomized parallel study in which buprenorphine [Temgesic, N-cyclopropylmethyl-7.alpha.-(1-(S)-1-hydroxyl-1,2,2-trimethylpropyl)-6,14-endoethano-6,7,8,14-tetrahydronororipavine] was compared to morphine. Drugs were administered at approximately equipotent i.m. doses for a maximum of 3 days for the relief of moderate to severe postoperative pain. The 2 drugs exhibited similar profiles with pain relief evident at 1/2 h, peaking at 1 h and decreasing to slight relief at 4-5 h, with no significant differences for time to remedication. The most frequent side effect was somnolence. One patient suffered sudden chest pain shortly after an injection of morphine and 1 patient had moderate hypoventilation after buprenorphine; both patients recovered uneventfully. Both drugs provided good or excellent analgesia in 80% of the patients in this unique multidose/observational study. These data and the reported lack of withdrawal symptoms and the absence of physical dependence liability suggest that buprenorphine may have a role in the management of chronic pain.