Effectiveness and Safety of Once-Daily Extended-Release Hydrocodone in Individuals Previously Receiving Immediate-Release Oxycodone for Chronic Pain

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of a once-daily, single-entity, extended-release hydrocodone bitartrate (HYD) among patients with chronic noncancer and non-neuropathic pain who required opioid rotation from a previous analgesic regimen that primarily consisted of immediate-release (IR) oxycodone. METHODS: Post hoc analyses of a primary study that assessed HYD 20 to 120 mg over a 52-week period are presented. The primary study included a dose titration period (up to 45 days), a 52-week maintenance period, and an optional taper period (up to 14 days). RESULTS: Relative to baseline, mean “average pain over the last 24 hours” declined by 1.9 points at the end of the titration period and by 2.6 points at the end of the maintenance period. Additionally, interference and severity of pain as measured by the Brief Pain Inventory–Short Form decreased by 2.3 and 1.9 points, respectively, during the maintenance period. The use of supplemental opioid analgesics decreased. Most patients remained on a stable HYD dose throughout the maintenance period. Most patients indicated satisfaction with HYD and considered it convenient and easy to use. HYD demonstrated a safety profile typical of µ opioids; nausea, constipation, vomiting, and dizziness were the most frequently reported opioid-related adverse events during the study. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic pain who received HYD over a 52-week period, treatment was generally well tolerated and provided effective analgesia among those who rotated from a pain regimen primarily consisting of IR oxycodone.