Abstract
Objective: To compare efficacy and safety of tapentadol prolonged-release (PR) and oxycodone-controlled release (CR) in moderate-to-severe chronic osteoarthritis knee pain.
Methods: Data from two double-blind, randomized, placebo- and oxycodone CR-controlled phase 3 studies with a 3-week titration period and 12-week controlled dose adjustment maintenance period were pooled. Primary efficacy end-points were change from baseline in average pain intensity at week 12 (US end-point) and over the entire maintenance period (non-US end-point).
Results: A total of 2,010 patients were assessed. For both primary end-points, tapentadol PR was significantly more effective than oxycodone CR (LS mean difference of –0.41 [95% CI = –0.65, –0.16; p = 0.001] at week 12 and –0.35 [95% CI = –0.58, –0.12; p = 0.003] over 12 weeks of maintenance [last observation carried forward]). Significantly better outcomes than for oxycodone CR were also observed for patient global impression of change, both Short Form-36 component scores, and EuroQoL-5Dimensions health status index (all p < 0.001). Relative risk for vomiting, constipation, nausea, somnolence, and pruritus was lower for tapentadol PR than for oxycodone CR. A higher proportion of oxycodone CR patients discontinued treatment (64% vs 42.2% for tapentadol PR); time to treatment discontinuation due to an adverse event was significantly shorter for oxycodone CR (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: The analyses suggest that tapentadol PR provided superior pain relief and a more improved overall health status than oxycodone CR in a large patient population with moderate-to-severe chronic osteoarthritis pain. Compared to oxycodone CR, tapentadol PR showed a more favorable tolerability profile with better gastrointestinal tolerability.
Transparency
Declaration of funding
This analysis was performed by Grünenthal GmbH, Germany.
Declaration of financial/other relationships
All authors are employees of Grünenthal GmbH, Germany. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have received an honorarium from CMRO for their review work, but have no other relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Acknowledgments
Writing assistance was provided by Elke Grosselindemann and Birgit Brett and was paid for by Grünenthal GmbH, Germany.