Article Text
Abstract
Abstract Opioid-induced constipation has a negative impact on quality of life for patients with chronic pain and can affect more than a third of patients. A related but separate entity is postoperative ileus, which is an abnormal pattern of gastrointestinal motility after surgery. Nonselective μ-opioid receptor antagonists reverse constipation and opioid-induced ileus but cross the blood-brain barrier and may reverse analgesia. Peripherally acting μ-opioid receptor antagonists target the μ-opioid receptor without reversing analgesia. Three such agents are US Food and Drug Administration approved. We reviewed the literature for randomized controlled trials that studied the efficacy of alvimopan, methylnaltrexone, and naloxegol in treating either opioid-induced constipation or postoperative ileus. Peripherally acting μ-opioid receptor antagonists may be effective in treating both opioid-induced bowel dysfunction and postoperative ileus, but definitive conclusions are not possible because of study inconsistency and the relatively low quality of evidence. Comparisons of agents are difficult because of heterogeneous end points and no head-to-head studies.
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Footnotes
This work is attributed to Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University.
Source of funding: Departmental funding.
E.R.V. has served as a consultant for AcelRx, Medicines Company, Mallinkrodt, Trevena, Cara Pharmaceuticals, Salix, AstraZeneca, and Merck. His institution has received research grants in the past from AcelRx, Adolor, Progenics, and Pacira. He has been a paid lecturer for AcelRx, Merck, Salix, and Mallinkrodt. None of these companies were involved in any aspect of the development of this manuscript. The other authors declare no conflict of interest.
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