Published in:
Open Access
01-03-2015 | Original Article
Side effects of analgesia may significantly reduce quality of life in symptomatic multiple myeloma: a cross-sectional prevalence study
Authors:
Sarah Sloot, Jason Boland, John A. Snowden, Yousef Ezaydi, Andrea Foster, Alison Gethin, Tracy Green, Louise Chopra, Stans Verhagen, Kris Vissers, Yvonne Engels, Sam H. Ahmedzai
Published in:
Supportive Care in Cancer
|
Issue 3/2015
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Abstract
Background
Pain is a common symptom in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Many patients are dependent on analgesics and in particular opioids, but there is limited information on the impact of these drugs and their side effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
Method
In a cross-sectional study, semi-structured interviews were performed in 21 patients attending the hospital with symptomatic MM on pain medications. HRQoL was measured using items 29 and 30 of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30.
Results
Patients were able to recall a median of two (range 0–4) analgesics. They spontaneously identified a median of two (range 1–5) side effects attributable to their analgesic medications. Patients’ assessment of HRQoL based on the EORTC QLQ-C30 questions 29/30 was mean 48.3 (95 % CI; 38.7–57.9) out of 100. Patients’ assessment of their HRQoL in the hypothetical situation, in which they would not experience any side effects from analgesics, was significantly higher: 62.6 (53.5–71.7) (t test, p = 0.001).
Conclusion
This study provides, for the first time, evidence that side effects of analgesics are common in symptomatic MM and may result in a statistically and clinically significant reduction of self-reported HRQoL.