Organic brain syndromes and opioid administration for cancer pain

A Caraceni; C Martini; F De Conno; V Ventafridda

doi:10.1016/0885-3924(94)90115-5

Organic brain syndromes and opioid administration for cancer pain

J Pain Symptom Manage. 1994 Nov;9(8):527-33. doi: 10.1016/0885-3924(94)90115-5.

Authors

A Caraceni¹, C Martini, F De Conno, V Ventafridda

Affiliation

¹ Pain Therapy and Palliative Care Division, National Cancer Institute, Milan, Italy.

PMID: 7531737
DOI: 10.1016/0885-3924(94)90115-5

Abstract

To clarify the range of potential etiologies that may contribute to organic brain syndrome in patients receiving systemic opioids for cancer pain, we describe 15 patients who presented this complication. In 11 cases, concomitant conditions were found that could contribute to the onset of organic brain syndrome. These data illustrate that multiple causes often play a role in the development of mental status changes in advanced cancer. Opioids are seldom the only causal factor implicated.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Narcotics / adverse effects*
Narcotics / therapeutic use
Neoplasms / therapy*
Palliative Care / adverse effects*
Substance-Related Disorders / etiology*

Substances

Narcotics