• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.100-104
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• 2019

Opioids are important drugs for the management of severe cancer pain without a ceiling effect. However, opioid administration leads to dose-limiting complications including drowsiness, hallucinations, delirium, respiratory depression, cognitive impairment, seizure, myoclonus, and hyperalgesia. Opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) is a paradoxical phenomenon as opioid exposure increases pain sensitivity. Reducing or stopping opioids, opioid rotation, or co-administration of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists have been suggested for the management of OIH. In this study, we report two clinical cases of successful management of OIH in cancer pain patients that were treated with opioids.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.131-135
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• 2017

Purpose: Oral naloxone is combined with oxycodone to alleviate or prevent opioid-induced constipation in cancer pain patients. However, there is still concern that oral naloxone may precipitate opioid withdrawal symptoms in patients on opioids. We retrospectively investigated clinical characteristics of cancer patients who experienced opioid withdrawal symptoms. Methods: We reviewed medical records of all patients who were prescribed with oral oxycodone/naloxone at a tertiary cancer center from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2016. Eligible patients were screened based on demographics, opioid and naloxone dosages, clinical manifestation and pain intensity. Results: Among a total of 1,641 patients, 10 patients were selected. Seven patients were male, and the average age was 68.1 years. The median dose of naloxone that induced withdrawal symptoms was 20 mg. Most common withdrawal symptom was shivering (seven patients) followed by cold sweating (five), and muscle twitching (five). Other symptoms included restlessness, fever, dizziness, and yawning. Pain was exacerbated from the median intensity of numeric rating scale (NRS) 3 to NRS 6. Conclusion: Opioid withdrawal symptoms may occur when switching to oral oxycodone/naloxone for cancer patients who have been treated with other strong opioids. A prospective, multicenter study on this issue should be conducted in future.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.313-318
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to the relationship between sleep disturbances and Burning mouth syndrome(BMS). BMS presents as a chronic burning sensation in the oral mucous membrane that is frequently associated with sleep disturbances. BMS is considered neuropathic pain condition with dysfunction of small diameter afferent sensory fiber. A review of the studies reveals, BMS suggested peripheral and cental nervous system changes. Sleep disruption or Rem sleep deprivation cause an inhibition of opioid protein synthesis and a reduced affinity of ${\mu}$ and ${\delta}$ opioid receptors. Let me say that sleep disturbances suggest a risk factor For BMS and support to evaluate as a part of BMS treatment. Further study will be required to ascertain the relationship between distruption of sleep continuity or Rem sleep deprivation and BMS and the evidence of altered neurochemical degeneration of BMS.

• Journal of The Korean Dental Society of Anesthesiology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2008

배경: 신경병증성 통증은 스테로이드, 아편유사제 등의 진통제에 잘 반응하지 않는다. 하지만 염증성 매개물질들이 신경병증성 통증의 발생에 관여한다는 보고가 있다. 특히 선택적 COX2 억제제인 celecoxib의 신경병증성 통증에 대한 효과에 관해서 상반된 연구결과가 존재한다. 본 연구는 신경병증성 통증 모델인 척추신경 결찰모델을 이용 기계적, 냉각 이질통 및 온도감각 과민현상의 발현에 celecoxib이 미치는 영향을 관찰하여 celecoxib의 항통각효과를 확인하고자 하였다. 방법: 30마리의 쥐를 이용 척추신경을 결찰하여 신경병증성 통증을 유도하였다 celecoxib (1, 10, 100, and 300 mg/kg)을 경구 투여하였고 총 30마리 중 12마리의 쥐에서 열, 기계적자극에 대해서 통각과민, 냉각자극에 의해 이질통이 발생하였다. 약물 투여 후 30, 60, 120, 180분 후 von Frey, 냉각자극검사, Hargreaves검사를 시행하여 쥐의 행동변화를 관찰하였다. 결과: 신경결찰 후 5일 후에 celecoxib의 용량에 관계없이 열, 기계적 자극에 의한 통각과민, 냉각 자극에 대한 이질통을 감소시키지 않았다(P > 0.05). 또한 celecoxib투여에 의한 장기간의 항 통각효과는 관찰되지 않았다(P > 0.05). 결론: celecoxib을 경구로 투여하였을 때 장기간 유지된 신경병증성 통증 흰쥐에서 약의 투여용량, 투여기간에 따른 항 통각작용은 관찰되지 않았다. 따라서 조직 손상후 발생된 장기간의 신경병증성 통증에 있어서 celecoxib은 효과가 없는 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.252-256
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• 2010

Breathlessness is a frequent and distressing symptom in terminal cancer patients. Refractory breathlessness is defined as a state that does not respond to conventional disease-specific therapy with an exclusion of reversible underlying causes, and the main classes of symptomatic drug treatments include opioids and benzodiazepines. Korean Family Medicine Palliative Medicine Research Group discussed two terminal cancer patients in whom severe breathlessness with different causes were treated with inhalation of nebulized furosemide, which is an emerging option of palliative treatment. It still remains unclear how it becomes effective or how much it is effective, therefore, its routine use seems to be somewhat early. Nevertherless, if a patient with intractable breathlessness does not have a marked obstructive airway lesion, its use should be considered. Based on the discussion in the seminar, we want to share our experience of the application of inhaled furosemide with other palliative care practitioners and strongly recommend further research on this topic in the future.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2009

Background: Magnesium is a noncompetitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D aspartate (NMDA) receptor. Magnesium is thought to be involved in opioid tolerance by way of inhibiting calcium entry into cells. Methods: The patients were randomly assigned to three groups according to the anesthetic regimens: Group M received magnesium sulfate and Group C received saline intravenously under remifentanil-based anesthesia. Group S received saline intravenously under sevoflurane based anesthesia in place of remifentanil. The patients in the group M received 25% magnesium sulfate 50 mg/kg in 100 ml of saline, and those patients in groups C and S received an equal volume of saline before induction of anesthesia; this was followed by 10 mg/kg/h infusion of either magnesium sulfate (group M) or an equal volume of saline (groups C and S) until the end of surgery. Pain was assessed on a visual analog scale at 1, 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours after the operation. The time to the first postoperative analgesic requirement and the cumulative analgesic consumption were evaluated in the three groups. Results: The visual analog scales for pain and the cumulative analgesic consumption were significantly greater in group C than in other groups. The time to first postoperative analgesic requirement was significantly shorter in group C than that in the other groups. There were no differences between group M and S for side effects. Conclusions: A relatively high dose and continuous remifentanil infusion is associated with clinically relevant evidence of acute opioid tolerance. NMDA-receptor antagonist, magnesium sulfate as an adjuvant analgesic prevents opioid tolerance in patients who are undergoing major abdominal surgery under high dose and continuous remifentanil infusion-based anesthesia.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.323-327
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• 2011

A Jindo dog (8-month-old, intact male) was referred for hind limb lameness on the right side. The dog was diagnosed with a simple femoral fracture by radiological examination. After surgical fixation of the femoral fracture, tramadol: a narcotic-like synthetic analgesic was intravenously administrated for post-operative analgesia. After injection of the tramadol, generalized tonic clonic seizure was immediately occurred in the dog. Seventeen hours later, the dog died despite intensive care. We suspected that tramadol might induce the seizurogenic effect resulted in death. A necropsy was performed to examine the cause of the death. In consequence, the dog was diagnosed as necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME) based on histopathological examination. We would be concerned that tramadol may be related to seizure activity in the NME patient. From this case, it is known that although tramadol has been proven to be a safe and effective agent for the control of pain in veterinary medicine, it would be carefully used to patient with history of neurological diseases including meningoencephalitis, hydrocephalus, and encephalopathy.