Opioid-induced emesis among hospitalized nonsurgical patients: Effect on pain and quality of life

There is very little information in the medical literature regarding opioid -induced emesis and its relationship to patient outcomes. Two-hundred and s ix nonsurgical patients in a 400-bed teaching hospital with minimal known r isks of disease-associated emesis were interviewed to examine emesis and as sociated outcomes following the administration of opioids for acute pain ma nagement. The mean age, weight, and height of the study group were 54.4 (+/ - 19.6) years, 175.8 (+/- 45.7) pounds, and 67.1 (+/- 4.4) inches, respecti vely. Seventy-three (35.4 %) patients experienced nausea; 28 (13.6%) patien ts vomited; and 15 (7.3 %) patients retched following the opioid therapy. T hese symptoms were mild and discomforting for relatively short periods of t ime. The patients' ability to concentrate and eat was affected by the incid ence of nausea/vomiting. The intensity, duration and severity of nausea wer e positively associated with the magnitude of the functional limitations. T he symptoms also influenced patients' ratings of various hospital satisfact ion measures. In conclusion, emesis due to opioids represents a notable bur den an nonsurgical patients. Successful therapies that prevent opioid-induc ed emesis are likely to positively influence patient outcomes by reducing a dverse effects, improving functional outcomes, and enhancing quality of lif e. J Pain Symptom Manage 1999;18:280-288. (C) U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Commi ttee, 1999.