Table 2.
Efficacy of Naloxone in Ameliorating Pruritus and Nausea and Vomiting
| Naloxone infusion rate |
No. of patients studied (success/ failure) |
Pruritus score = 0 |
Pruritus score = 1 |
Pruritus score = 2 |
N/V score = 0 |
N/V score = 1 |
N/V score = 2 |
Use of rescue antipruritic therapy |
Use of rescue antiemetic therapy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 21 (15/6) | 52% | 29% | 19% | 55% | 30% | 15% | 43% | 43% |
| Moderate | 17 (11/6) | 76% | 12% | 12% | 35% | 41% | 24% | 24% | 65% |
| High | 21 (20/1) | 90%a | 10% | 0% | 48% | 48% | 4% | 10%b | 57% |
| Overall | 59 (46/13) | 73% | 17% | 10% | 47% | 40% | 14% | 25% | 54% |
N/V = nausea/vomiting.
a
The odds of pruritus was decreased by 88% at high-dose as compared with low-dose naloxone infusions (P = 0.013).
b
The odds of receiving rescue therapy (diphenhydramine) to treat pruritus was decreased by 86% at high-dose as compared with low-dose naloxone infusions (P = 0.024).