[Treatment of tumor pain with flupirtine. Results of a double-blind study versus tramadol]

Abstract

Study design: In a multicentric double-blind trial, flupirtine was compared with tramadol in the treatment of cancer pain.

Methods: Over a period of four weeks, 4 (-6) capsules containing either 100 mg flupirtine (n = 35) or 50 mg tramadol (n = 36) were taken daily in accordance with a fixed time schedule. Severity of pain was scored on a weekly basis using a five-stage verbal scale.

Results: Initially comparable in the two groups, pain was more markedly reduced after four weeks of treatment with flupirtine than after tramadol, the need for additional analgesic drugs also being less in the flupirtine group. The final general assessment by the attending doctors of the results achieved was "good" to "very good" in 63% of the patients on flupirtine, and in 46% of those on tramadol. Undesired effects were observed in 6% of the flupirtine patients and in 19% of those taking tramadol.