Table 3.
Patients' preferences for transdermal fentanyl or sustained release oral morphine. Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Preference | Randomised to fentanyl first (n=124) | Randomised to morphine first (n=127) | Overall (n=212) | Reasons for preference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong preference for fentanyl | 41 (41) | 43 (38) | 138* (65) | Better pain relief (35), fewer adverse events (14), more convenient (15), other (1) |
| Preference for fentanyl | 13 (13) | 41 (36) | ||
| No preference | 12 (12) | 3 (3) | 15 (7) | |
| Preference for morphine | 20 (20) | 18 (16) | 59 (28) | Better pain relief (17), fewer adverse events (5), more convenient (5), other (0.9) |
| Strong preference for morphine | 13 (13) | 8 (7) | ||
| No preference assessed | 25 | 14 | — |
*
P<0.001 different from preference for morphine.