Crossover trials in clinical analgesic assays: Studies of buprenorphine and morphine Journal Article


Authors: Wallenstein, S. L.; Kaiko, R. F.; Rogers, A. G.; Houde, R. W.
Article Title: Crossover trials in clinical analgesic assays: Studies of buprenorphine and morphine
Abstract: Analgesic studies of buprenorphine, a thebaine derivative and potent partial narcotic agonist, were carried out in patients with cancer who had postoperative or chronic pain. Intramuscular buprenorphine was compared with intramuscular morphine in a series of sequentially related, twin crossover assays and was found to be about 25 times as potent as morphine. Side effects were essentially morphinelike. In a second assay, the acceptability and analgesic activity of sublingual buprenorphine was studied in a 6‐dose, balanced, incomplete block assay, a modification of the twin crossover design employed in the all‐intramuscular trial. Sublingual buprenorphine was found to be about 15 times as potent as intramuscular morphine and was well accepted by our patients. The 4‐dose twin crossover trial in which doses are adjusted sequentially is more flexible in that a wide range of doses may be studied, but it lacks the ability of the 6‐dose design to provide estimates of the curvature of the dose‐response slopes of the study drugs. When first‐dose‐only data were analyzed as parallel group assays, the main difference in results compared with the crossover studies was a decrease in efficiency and sensitivity. 1986 Pharmacotherapy Publications Inc.
Keywords: controlled study; major clinical study; clinical trial; fatigue; drug efficacy; skin toxicity; neurotoxicity; nausea; vomiting; tinnitus; central nervous system; pruritus; rash; gastrointestinal toxicity; xerostomia; mental disease; headache; morphine; myoclonus; somnolence; drug therapy; analgesia; drug tolerance; adverse drug reaction; visual impairment; mouth; therapy; eye toxicity; stomach; analgesic agent; nervousness; muscle; nervous system; crossing over; intramuscular drug administration; vertigo; sweating; intoxication; buprenorphine; drug comparison; mydriasis; visual system; stomach pain; auditory system; injection pain; human; priority journal; sublingual drug administration; goose skin
Journal Title: Pharmacotherapy
Volume: 6
Issue: 5
ISSN: 0277-0008
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons  
Date Published: 1986-09-01
Start Page: 228
End Page: 235
Language: English
DOI: 10.1002/j.1875-9114.1986.tb03481.x
PUBMED: 3540873
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 18 August 2021 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Raymond   Houde
    26 Houde
  2. Ada Rogers
    30 Rogers