Does transdermal fentanyl work in patients with low BMI? Patient‐reported outcomes of pain and percent pain relief in cancer patients on transdermal fentanyl

BACKGROUND: Low body mass index (BMI) is suspected of being associated with low transdermal fentanyl (TDF) blood levels and worse pain relief. Clinical pain data to support this claim are lacking. METHODS: Using a Chronic Pain Registry, we identified 901 cancer patients who received TDF at outpatient pain service clinics of our cancer center from 7/1/2011 to 12/1/2016. Of these, 240 patients had a BMI measure, pain intensity, and pain relief scores documented within 30 days of a TDF order. We examined associations between BMI, TDF dose, Worst and Least pain scores, and pain relief scores using standard statistical tests. RESULTS: In cancer patients receiving TDF, low BMI (<18.5) was significantly associated with greater pain relief irrespective of TDF dose and borderline significantly associated with greater percent pain relief after controlling for age, cancer diagnoses, and pain etiology (P = .073), suggesting that low BMI may independently predict better pain relief in cancer patients. As there were no significant associations between BMI and TDF dose, we find no basis for BMI‐dependent dose modification or avoiding TDF in cachectic and low BMI patients. CONCLUSIONS: When predicting percent pain relief, we conclude that there is no basis for avoiding TDF or modifying its dose in cancer patients with low BMI and cachexia.