Oxycodone and Naloxone Combination: A 12-Week Follow-up in 20 Patients Shows Effective Analgesia Without Opioid-Induced Bowel Dysfunction

INTRODUCTION: Opioid analgesics are widely regarded to be highly effective but are equally known for their side effects on the bowel. A new combination of the opioid analgesic oxycodone and naloxone has been developed to combat opioid-induced bowel dysfunction (OIBD) whilst still being effective as an analgesic. The aim of this observational study was to assess the analgesic efficacy of this new combination and to analyze its effect on bowel function. METHODS: Twenty-six patients underwent a trial of this new combination, with 21 patients reaching week 8 and 18 reaching week 12. RESULTS: A significant reduction was seen in the pain severity score at weeks 4, 8, and 12 (P < 0.05), and a significant improvement in the bowel function index was again seen at these points (P < 0.001 at week 4 and 12, P < 0.05 at week 8). In the patients’ global impression of change, 83.3% of patients rated the new medication as an improvement compared to their previous regimen, and 87.5% rated it overall as “good” or “very good.” CONCLUSION: This small single-center study suggests that the use of ONC in selected patients could lead to an improvement in pain severity and pain interference with a significant improvement in OIBD. Compliance with the combination is good, and it is generally well tolerated.