Researchers compiled data from three Phase III studies that included 1,977 patients with chronic osteoarthritis pain of the knee and lower back pain. The patients received one of three twice-daily options: tapentadol extended release, oxycodone controlled release or a placebo. Investigators then compared the studies’ composite findings with patients’ respective scores on four standardized patient-reported outcomes.
“Patients receiving tapentadol were more than three times more likely to meet the composite measure, which was largely driven by differences in gastrointestinal tolerability and dropouts,” said researcher Sanjay Merchant, PhD. Discontinuation rates for tapentadol were 44 percent, compared with 62 percent for oxycodone. Adverse events were reported by 18 percent of tapentadol users, compared with 39 percent of patients taking oxycodone.
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