Transdermal fentanyl: Little absorption in two patients with systemic sclerosis?

Two patients suffering from systemic sclerosis (SSc) were treated with the 25 mu /hr transdermal fentanyl patch for pain from either deltoid muscle te ndinitis of the left arm or from ischemia of the left-hand thumb. When the medication was changed to either oral morphine or oral methadone, the effec ts did not correspond to the drug conversion table. These findings suggest that patients with SSc and other systemic skin diseases may be at risk for limited absorption of transdermal fentanyl. In contrast, no restriction of the absorption of transdermal testosterone was observed.