Palliation of chronic breathlessness with morphine in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease - a randomised placebo-controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients suffering from fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (fILD) have a poor prognosis and a high symptom burden. Palliative treatment includes relief of symptoms such as breathlessness. There is no evidence-based treatment for chronic breathlessness but opioids are often used despite concerns due to the hypothetical risk of respiratory depression. This study investigated the effect of oral morphine drops in patients with fILD on chronic breathlessness and safety.

Methods

In a double-blinded placebo-controlled study, 36 patients with fILD were randomised to either four daily doses of 5 mg of oral morphine drops or placebo for 1 week. Endpoints and safety parameters were obtained at baseline, at follow-up after 1 h and 1 week.

Results

The primary endpoint,

SUBMITTER: Kronborg-White S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7376842 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature